NCTUATION 


GIFT  OF 


HAND-BOOK 


PUNCTUATION, 


WITH   INSTRUCTIONS  FOR 


CAPITALIZATION,  LETTER-WRITING, 

AND 

PROOF-READING, 


W.  J.    COCKER,  A.  M. 


A.  S.  BARNES  &  Co., 

NEW  YORK,  CHICAGO,  AND  NEW  ORLEANS. 

1878. 


Copyright,   1878,  by  W.  J.  Cocker. 


PREFACE. 


As  the  pronunciation  of  words  is  determined  by  the  usage 
of  the  best  speakers,  so,  in  a  great  measure,  the  punctuation 
of  sentences  is  based  on  the  usage  of  the  best  writers.  Rec- 
ognizing this  fact,  the  author  has  aimed, — 

1.  To  state,  such  general  rules  as  are  recognized  by  most 
writers  of  good  English. 

2.  To  illustrate  these  rules  by  examples  taken  from  many 
of  our  best  English  classics. 

3.  To  give  some  of  the  differences  in  usage  that  exist  even 
among  the  best  of  writers. 

It  is  frequently  asserted  that  even  good  writers  differ  so 
much  in  their  use  of  punctuation  marks  that  it  is  impossible  to 
lay  down  any  general  rules,  and  that  it  is  better  for  each  one 
to  consult  his  own  taste  and  judgment.  With  equal  reason 
it  might  be  said  that  inasmuch  as  good  speakers,  and  even 
lexicographers,  differ  in  the  pronunciation  of  words,  there- 
fore each  speaker  should  make  his  own  taste  and  judgment 
the  standard  for  correct  pronunciation.  A  writer's  mode  of 
expressing  his  thoughts  will  determine  the  character  and 
number  of  the  punctuation  marks  that  he  uses,  and  it  is 
chiefly  owing  to  this  that  even  good  writers  differ  somewhat 
in  punctuating  what  they  have  written.  There  are  some 
rules  that  are  invariable  under  all  circumstances ;  the  use  of 
others  depends  on  the  mental  characteristics  of  the  writer ; 
and  there  are  still  other  rules,  the  application  of  which  is 
determined  by  the  writer's  taste  alone. 

By  gestures,  tones  of  voice,  oratorical  pauses,  emphasis, 
and  in  various  ways,  a  speaker  can  make  his  meaning  clear 


43892G 


IV  PREFACE. 

to  his  listeners ;  and  so  a  writer  should  certainly  use  all  the 
aids  which  punctuation,  capitals,  and  italics  afford,  in  pre- 
senting clearly  what  he  has  written  for  the  perusal  of  others. 
Business  men,  however,  seem  to  think  that  they  are  not 
amenable  to  the  rules  that  govern  good  writers.  They 
affirm,  that  they  have  no  time  to  punctuate  their  letters,  and 
yet  they  subject  others  to  the  necessity  of  expending  time 
and  patience  in  trying  to  make  out  their  meaning.  Serious 
misunderstandings  have  arisen  between  business  men,  in 
consequence  of  the  omission  or  incorrect  use  of  punctuation 
marks,  and  expensive  lawsuits  have  originated  in  the  care- 
less punctuation  of  legal  instruments. 

Very  little  attention  is  paid  in  our  public  schools  to  punc- 
tuation, and  the  rules  usually  given  in  English  Composition 
are  either  disregarded  or  not  properly  understood.  This 
may,  perhaps,  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  the  rules  are 
wanting  in  clearness,  and  are  not  sufficiently  illustrated  by 
examples.  The  aim  of  this  volume  is  to  remedy,  in  some 
measure,  these  evils,  and  to  secure  more  attention  to  what 
ought  to  be  a  prominent  part  of  school  instruction.  The 
evils  of  bad  punctuation  are  really  more  serious  than  the 
evils  of  bad  spelling,  and  no  student  can  be  said  to  have 
learned  to  read  well,  much  less  to  write  well,  who  has  not 
studied  punctuation  intelligently. 

We  would  suggest  that  this  hand-book  be  used  at  Rhetor- 
ical Exercises,  and  that  when  essays,  orations,  criticisms,  &c., 
are  handed  to  the  teacher  for  correction,  he  should  use  a  red 
or  a  blue  pencil,  so  that  corrections  may  be  the  more  readily 
recognized.  Besides  the  corrections  in  grammar,  spelling, 
&c.,  he  should  be  careful  to  supply  punctuation  marks  when 
needed,  cross  out  needless  ones,  and,  of  course,  make  such 
other  corrections  as  may  be  necessary.  When  the  produc- 
tions are  returned  to  the  pupils,  the  teacher  should  first  point 
out  the  necessity  of  using  certain  marks,  in  order  to  define 


and  bring  out  the  meaning,  and  to  show  the  relation  between 
the  different  members  of  a  sentence.  Having  thus  shown 
the  need  of  punctuation  marks,  then  reference  should  be 
made  to  some  of  the  simpler  rules,  to  impress  this  need  on 
the  mind.  Great  care  should  be  taken  not  to  perplex  the 
mind  with  too  many  rules  before  the  necessity  is  created  for 
their  use.  The  great  difficulty  in  the  study  of  punctuation 
has  been  that  many  rules  are  committed  to  memory  be- 
fore the  need  of  their  use  has  arisen,  so  that  the  mind  is  per- 
plexed and  bewildered  instead  of  enlightened.  The  rule,  it 
must  be  remembered,  does  not  create  the  necessity;  the 
necessity  creates  the  rule.  Then,  again,  we  think  a  great 
mistake  is  made  by  having  the  beginner  punctuate  what 
some  one  else  has  written.  The  better  plan  is  for  the  pupil, 
at  the  very  outset,  to  punctuate  what  he  himself  has  com- 
posed, and  in  his  effort  to  bring  out  his  o\vn  meaning  clearly, 
he  will,  with  the  aid  of  a  few  rules,  almost  intuitively  fall 
into  the  habit  of  punctuating  correctly. 

The  following  suggestions  may  be  of  service : — 

1.  Do  not  give  a  pupil  a  rule  to  learn,  unless  it  is  clearly 
founded  upon  examples  taken  from  what  he  himself  has 
written. 

2.  Take,  at  first,  the  simplest,  most  frequently  used,  and 
most  readily  understood  rules. 

3.  Advance  slowly,  remembering  that  a  few  simple  prin- 
ciples clearly  understood,  are  of  much  more  practical  benefit 
than  a  number  of  misty  rules  hastily  committed  to  memory. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  hand-book,  the  author  is  under 
obligations  to  various  authorities,  but  he  is  more  especially 
indebted  to  Wilson's  "  Treatise  on  Punctuation." 

W.  J.  COCKER, 
ADRIAN,  Mich.,  Dec,  26,  1877. 


©nntente. 


I.    PUNCTUATION  . . 

II.     CAPITALS 

III.     LETTER-FORMS  . 


•PP- 


*-  53 
54-  7o 
71-100 

IV.     PROOF-  READING "    101  -i  14 

V.     INDEX *    115-127 


Imtthm&m* 


The  principal  punctuation  marks  are, — 

1.  The  Comma         , 

2.  The  Semicolon     ; 

3.  The  Colon 

4.  The  Period 

The  comma  indicates  a  somewhat  close  relation- 
ship between  the  parts  of  a  sentence;  the  semico- 
lon, a  more  distant  relationship ;  the  colon  indicates 
that  the  parts  are  almost  independent  of  each  other; 
the  period  marks  the  close  of  a  sentence,  and  indi- 
cates that  a  thought  is  complete. 

In  simple  sentences,  when  the  words  are  closely 
united  together,  and  the  relationship  of  the  words 
to  each  other  is  readily  perceived,  there  is  usually 
no  need  of  any  punctuation  marks,  except  a  period 
at  the  close.  It  should  always  be  borne  in  mind 
that  punctuation  marks  are  used  primarily  to  assist 
in  bringing  out  the  meaning  of  the  writer,  and  not 
to  embellish  a  written  or  a  printed  page.  In  sen- 
tences made  up  of  parts  that  are  closely  related  to 


each  other  J  but,  at  the  same  time,  distinct  in  charac- 
ter, commas  should  be  used.  They  are  way-marks 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  reader.  A  produc- 
tion unpunctuated  presents  as  dreary  a  prospect  to 
the  reader,  as  the  level  plain  of  Chaldaea  presents 
to  the  perplexed  traveler  who  has  lost  himself 
among  the  sandy  mounds  on  the  banks  of  the  Eu- 
phrates, and  has  nothing  by  which  to  direct  his 
course. 

When  the  different  parts  of  a  sentence  are  some- 
what disconnected,  and  not  closely  related  to  each 
other,  a  semicolon  or  colon  should  be  used.  Sen- 
tences are  sometimes  very  long  and  complicated. 
It  is  then  necessary  to  separate  the  main  divisions 
by  semicolons,  and  the  smaller  by  commas.  Some- 
times the  smaller  parts  of  a  sentence  are  separated 
by  commas  and  semicolons,  and  the  main  divisions 
by  colons. 

The  other  manes  in  use  are, — 

1.  The  Interrogation  Point       ? 

2.  The  Exclamation  Point        ! 

3.  The  Dash 

4.  Marks  of  Parenthesis          (  ) 

5.  Brackets  [  ] 

6.  Quotation  Marks  *•*•'*•£ 

7.  The  Apostrophe 

8.  The  Hyphen 

Q.     Miscellaneous  marks. 


THE  COMMA. 


INTRODUCTORY    REMARKS. 

In  order  to  properly  understand  some  of  the 
rules  that  are  given  in  the  following  pages,  it  is  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  have  a  clear  understanding  of 
the  difference  between  a  sentence  and  a  clause.  A 
sentence  is  a  combination  of  words  expressing  a 
complete  thought,  and  usually  followed  by  a  period ; 
a  clause  is  a  distinct  part  of  a  sentence.  Some  sen- 
tences are  simple  in  form,  and  have  but  one  subject 
and  one  finite  verb ;  as,  "  Language  is  part  of  a 
man's  character." — Coleridge.  Other  sentences 
are  made  up  of  clauses,  each  clause  having  a  sub- 
ject and  a  verb;  in  other  words,  several  clauses  are 
sometimes  joined  together  to  form  one  sentence ;  as, 
"  New  forms  of  beauty  start  at  once  into  existence, 
and  all  the  burial  places  of  the  memory  give  up 
their  dead." — Macaulay.  It  will  be  easily  seen 
that  clauses  will  be  more  readily  recognized  with 
the  eye,  and  more  easily  comprehended,  if  they  are 
separated  from  each  other  by  punctuation  marks. 
This  will  be  especially  so,  if  the  clauses  are  long. 

In  preparing  this  hand-book,  the  aim  has  been  to 
avoid,  as  much  as  possible,  the  use  of  technical 
terms.  Whenever  such  terms  are  used,  explana- 
tions will  usually  be  found  under  the  head  of  Re- 
marks. 

5 


RULE  I.     Independent    Clauses Independent 

clauses   should  be   separated  from   each  other  by 
commas. 

EXAMPLES. 

"Savage  was  discomposed  by  the  intrusion  or 
omission  of  a  comma,  and  he  would  lament  an  error 
of  a  single  letter  as  a  great  calamity." — Dr.  John- 
son. 

"  Man  wants  but  little  here  below, 

Nor  wants  that  little  long." — Goldsmith. 

"  Take  short  views,  hope  for  the  best,  and  trust 
in  God." — Sydney  Smith. 

REMARKS. 

1.  An  independent  clause  is  one  that  is  not  dependent  on 
any  other  clause  for  the  completion  of  its  meaning ;  as,  Take 
short  views  |  hope  for  the  best  |  and  trust  in  God.     Inde- 
pendent clauses  are  frequently  connected  by  and,  or,  nor, 
but. 

2.  When  the  clauses  are  short  and  closely  united,  the 
comma  may  be  omitted ;  as,  "  Death  had  lost  its  terrors  and 
pleasure  its  charms." 

3.  When  the  clauses  are  long  and  divided  into  smaller 
portions  by  commas,  they  should  be  separated  from  each 
other  by  semicolons.     See  Rule  I.  p.  23. 

RULE  II.  Dependent  Clauses — Dependent 
clauses  should  be  separated  from  each  other  by 
commas. 


7 

EXAMPLES. 

"  If  a  man  does  not  make  new  acquaintances  as 
he  advances  through  life,  he  will  soon  find  himself 
left  alone.  A  man,  Sir,  should  keep  his  friend- 
ship in  constant  repair." — Dr.  Johnson. 

"When  Dr.  Franklin  wished  to  gain  his  enemy, 
he  asked  him  to  do  him  a  favor." 

"  Clap  an  extinguisher  upon  your  irony,  if  you 
are  unhappily  blest  with  a  vein  of  it." — Lamb. 

"Although  we  seldom  followed  advice,  we  were 
all  ready  enough  to  ask  it." — Goldsmith. 

REMARKS. 

1.  A  clause  is  said  to  be  dependent,  when  it  depends  on 
some  other  clause  to  complete  its  meaning;  as,  When  Dr. 
Johnson  wished  to  gain  his  enemy  |  he  asked  him  to  do  him 
a  favor.     The  first  clause  of  this  sentence  would  not  be 
complete    in   meaning    without    the    second.     Dependent 
clauses  usually  commence  with  if,  when,  since,  because,  until, 
&c. 

2.  When  clauses  are  closely  connected,  the  comma  may 
be  omitted ;  as,  Mozart  published  some  music  when  seven 
years  of  age. 

RULE  IH.  Relative  Clauses. — i.  A  relative 
clause  should  be  separated  from  the  rest  of  the 
sentence  by  a  comma. 

2.  But  the  comma  should  be  omitted,  when  the 
relative  clause  is  so  closely  connected  with  what 
precedes  that  it  cannot  be  dropped  without  destroy- 
ing the  sense. 


EXAMPLES. 

1.  "Men  in  a  corner,  who  have  the  unhappiness 
of  conversing   too    little  with-  present  things." — 
Swift. 

"  The  waters  are  nature's  storehouse,  in  which 
she  locks  up  her  wonders." — Izaak  Walton. 

"He  had  on  a  coat  made  of  that  cloth  called 
thunder-and-lightning,  which,  though  grown  too 
short,  was  much  too  good  to  be  thrown  away." — 
Goldsmith. 

2.  "Althworthy   here  betook  himself  to   those 
pleasing  slumbers  which  a  heart  that  hungers  after 
goodness  is  apt  to  enjoy  when  thoroughly  satisfied." 
— Fielding. 

"  A  man  who  is  good  for  making  excuses  is  good 
for  nothing  else." — Dr.  Franklin. 

"  Like  Caesalr,  Cortes  wrote  his  own  commenta- 
ries in  the  heart  of  the  stirring  scenes  which  form 
the  subject  of  them." — Prescott. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Relative  clauses  are  generally  introduced  by  the  rela- 
tive pronouns  ivho,  -which,  that,  or  -what. 

2.  A  comma  should  be  placed  before  the  relative  clause, 
even  when  it  is  necessary  to  complete  the  meaning  of  the 
antecedent, — 

a.  When  the  relative  is  immediately  followed  by  a  word 
or  an  expression  inclosed  in  commas ;  as,  "As  a  man, 
he  may  not  have  deserved  the  admiration  which  he 


received  from  those,  who,  bewitched  by  his  fascinating 
society,  worshiped  him  nightly  in  his  favorite  temple 
at  Button's." — Macaulay. 

b.  When  the  relative  has  several  antecedents  that  are 
separated  from  each  other  by  commas ;  as,  "All  those 
arts,  rarities,  and  inventions,  which  vulgar  minds  gaze 
at,  the  ingenious  pursue,  and  all  admire,  are  but  the 
relics  of  an  intellect  defaced  with  sin  and  time." — 
South. 

3.  The  words  of  -which  are  sometimes  preceded  by  a 
comma,  even  when  they  are  necessary  to  complete  the 
meaning  of  the  antecedent:  as,  "His  mind  was  formed  of 
those  firm  materials,  of  wrhich  nature  formerly  hammered 
out  the  Stoic,  and  upon  which  the  sorrows  of  no  man  living 
could  make  an  impression." — Fielding. 

RULE  IV.  Parenthetical  Words  and  Phrases. 
When  single  words  and  phrases  break  the  connec- 
tion between  closely  related  parts  of  a  sentence, 
they  should  usually  be  separated  by  commas  from 
the  rest  of  the  sentence. 

1.  Words  used  parenthetically, — 

therefore,       namely,  however, 

indeed,  finally,  moreover, 

perhaps,         consequently,      nevertheless,  &c. 

2.  Phrases  used  parenthetically, — 

in  short,  in  fact,  in  reality, 

in  truth,  in  a  word,        no  doubt, 

of  course,  you  know,       as  it  were,  &c. 


EXAMPLES. 

1.  "As  an  orator,  indeed,  he  was  not  magnetic 
or  inspiring". —  G.   W.  Curtis. 

"  There  is,  perhaps,  no  surer  mark  of  folly,  than 
to  attempt  to  correct  the  natural  infirmities  of  those 
we  love." — Fielding. 

"  There  is,  however,  a  limit  at  which  forbearance 
ceases  to  be  a  virtue." — Burke. 

2.  "  I  had  grown  to  my  desk,  as  it  were,  and  the 
wood  had  entered  my  soul." — Lamb. 

"  In  short,  he  is  a  memorable  instance  of  what 
has  been  often  observed,  that  the  boy  is  the  man  in 
miniature." — Boswell. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Words  and  phrases  are  said  to  be  used  parenthetically, 
when  they  obstruct,  as  it  were,  the  flow  of  the  sentence,  and 
might  be  dropped  without  destroying  the  sense. 

2.  Whenever   parenthetical    words   and    phrases   readily 
coalesce  with  the  rest  of  the  sentence,  it  is  better  to  omit 
punctuation  marks ;  as,  "  I  am  therefore  exceedingly  unwil- 
ling that  anything,  however  slight,  which  my  illustrious 
friend  thought  it  worth  while  to  express,  with  any  degree  of 
point,  should  perish." — Bos-well. 

3.  A  distinction  should  be  made  between  words  used  par- 
enthetically, and  adverbs  qualifying    particular  words;  as, 
"  And  with  learning  was  united  a  mild  and  liberal  spirit,  too 
often  wanting  in  the  princely  colleges  of  Oxford." — Macau- 
lay. 

"  That,  too,  has  its  eminent  service." — Burke. 


II 

RULE  V.  Parenthetical  Expressions. — Expres- 
sions of  a  parenthetical  character  should  be  separa- 
ted from  the  rest  of  the  sentence  by  commas. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  She  was  tumbled  early,  by  accident  or  design, 
into  a  spacious  closet  of  good  old  English  reading, 
without  much  selection  or  prohibition,  and  browsed 
at  will  upon  that  fair  and  wholesome  pasturage." 
— Lamb. 

*'  He  [Sheridan]  who,  in  less  than  thirty  years 
afterward,  held  senates  enchained  by  his  eloquence 
and  audiences  fascinated  by  his  wit,  was,  by  com- 
mon consent  both  of  parent  and  preceptor,  pro- 
nounced a  most  impenetrable  dunce." — Moore. 

"  It  is  clear  that  Addison's  serious  attention,  dur- 
ing his  residence  at  the  university,  was  almost  en- 
tirely concentrated  on  Latin  poetry." — Macaulay. 
REMARKS. 

1.  A  distinction  should  be  made  between  parenthetical 
words  and  parenthetical  expressions. 

a.  Parenthetical  words  can  be  omitted  without  destroy- 
ing the  sense.     See  examples  under  Rule  IV. 

b.  Parenthetical  expressions   obstruct   the   flow  of  the 
sentence,  but  can  not  be  omitted  without  either  de- 
stroying the  sense,  or  changing  the  meaning  intended 
to  be  conveyed.    See  examples  given  above. 

2.  When  parenthetical  expressions  are  short,  or  closely 
connected  with  the  rest  of  the  sentence,  it  is  better  to  omit 
punctuation  marks. 


12 

3.  Writers  differ  very  much  in  omitting  or  using  commas 
in  parenthetical  expressions.  It  is  sometimes  immaterial 
whether  punctuation  marks  are  used  or  not,  but,  in  many 
cases,  there  are  few  rules  so  well  adapted  to  bring  out  the 
meaning  of  the  writer. 

RULE  VI.  Inverted  Expressions — Expressions 
which  are  not  in  their  natural  order,  are  frequently 
separated  from  the  rest  of  the  sentence  by  a  comma. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  In  everything  that  relates  to  science,  I  am  a 
whole  Encyclopaedia  behind  the  rest  of  the  world." 
— Lamb. 

"  In  all  unhappy  marriages  I  have  seen,  the 
great  cause  of  evil  has  proceeded  from  slight  occa- 
sions."— Steele. 

REMARKS. 

1.  The  natural  order  of  the  first  sentence  is,  I  am  a  whole 
Encyclopaedia  behind  the  rest  of  the  world  in  everything 
that  relates  to  science. 

2.  When  the  inverted  expression  is  closely  connected  with 
what  follows,  the  commas  should  be  omitted ;  as, — 

"  Of  Addison's  childhood  we  know  little." — Macaulay. 
"  That  inward  man  I  love  that's  lined  with  virtue." — Beau- 
wont  and  Fletcher. 

RULE  VII.  Short  Quotations — Short  quota- 
tions should  be  separated  from  what  precedes  by 
a  comma. 


EXAMPLES. 

The  Italians  say,  "  Good  company  in  a  journey 
makes  the  way  to  seem  shorter." 

A  writer  in  Lippincotfs  Magazine  says,  "  It  is 
the  little  courtesies  that  make  up  the  sum  of  a 
happy  home." 

Schiller  has  said,  "  Men's  words  are  ever  bolder 
than  their  deeds." 

REMARKS. 

1 .  An  expression  resembling  a  quotation  should  be  pre- 
ceded by  a  comma ;  as,  "  Therefore  the  question  still  returns, 
What  is  the  First  Principle  of  all  things?" 

2.  Quotations  and  general  statements  introduced  by  that 
are  frequently  preceded  by  a  comma ;  as,  "  Tacitus  says  of 
Agricola,  that  he  governed  his  family,  which  many  find  to 
be  a  harder  task  than  to  govern  a  province." — Arthur  Helps. 

'  3.  When  single  words  or  a  part  of  a  sentence  are  quoted, 
a  comma  should  not  be  used ;  as,  "  His  wife  was  a  domesti- 
cated, kind-hearted  old  soul,  who  had  come  with  him  '  from 
the  queen  city  of  the  world/  which,  it  seemed,  was  Phila- 
delphia."— Dickens. 

4.  Quotation  divided.      "A  man  could  not  set  his   foot 
down,"  says  Cortes,  "  unless  on  the  corpse  of  an  Indian." — 
Prescott. 

5.  When  the  quotation  is  a  long  one,  it  should  be  preceded 
by  a  colon. 

RULE  VIII.  Person  or  Thing  Addressed. — 
The  name  of  the  person  or  thing  addressed,  together 
with  its  modifying  words,  should  be  separated  from 
the  rest  of  the  sentence  by  commas. 


M 

EXAMPLES. 

"  Now,  Macaulay,when  I  am  gone,  you'll  be  sorry 
that  you  never  heard  me  speak." — Sydney  Smith. 

"Why,  Romeo,  art  thou  mad?" — Shakespeare. 

"  My  lords,  we  are  called  upon,  as  members  of 
this  house,  as  men,  as  Christians,  to  protest  against 
such  horrible  barbarity!" — Pitt. 

REMARK. 

When  strong  emotion  is  expressed,  an  exclamation  point 
should  be  used;  as,  "O  Hamlet!  thou  hast  cleft  my  heart 
in  twain." — Shakespeare. 

RULE  IX.  Participial  Clauses — Participial 
clauses,  having  no  grammatical  connection  with 
the  rest  of  the  sentence,  should  be  separated  from 
what  follows,  and,  if  they  do  not  commence  a  sen- 
tence, from  what  precedes,  by  commas. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  Success  being  now  hopeless,  preparations  were 
made  for  a  retreat." — Alison. 

"  Such  being  their  general  idea  of  the  gods,  we 
can  now  easily  understand  the  habitual  tone  of 
their  feelings  towards  what  was  beautiful  in  nature." 
— Ruskin. 

REMARK. 

Being  or  having  been  is  usually  the  sign  of  a  participial 

clause. 


15 

RULE  X.  Verb  Omitted. — When  a  verb,  pre- 
viously used,  is  omitted,  a  comma  usually  takes  its 
place. 

EXAMPLES. 

"Histories  make  men  wise;  poets,  witty;  the 
mathematics,  subtle;  natural  philosophy,  deep; 
moral,  grave;  logic  and  rhetoric,  able  to  contend." 
— Bacon. 

"Chaucer  painted  persons;  Spenser,  qualities." 

REMARKS. 

1.  When  the  comma  takes  the  place  of  an  omitted  verb, 
the  main  clauses  or  numbers  shoulJ  be  separated  by  semi- 
colons. 

2.  Sometimes  a  comma  does  not  take  the  place  of  an 
omitted  verb ;  as,  "  Some  books  are  to  be  tasted,  others  to  be 
swallowed,  and  some  few  to  be  chewed  and  digested." — Bacon. 

"  Reading  maketh  a  full  man,  conference  a  ready  man, 
and  writing  an  exact  man." — Bacon. 

RULE  XL  Appositives. — A  noun  in  apposition 
and  its  modifiers  should  be  separated  by  commas 
from  the  rest  of  the  sentence. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  When  death,  the  great  Reconciler,  has  come, 
it  is  never  our  tenderness  we  repent  of  but  our 
severity." — George  Eliot. 

"  The  exploits  of  Mercury  himself,  the  god  of 
cunning,  may  be  easily  imagined  to  surpass  every- 
thing achieved  by  profaner  hands." — Leigh  Hunt. 


i6 

REMARKS. 

1.  An  appositive  is  a  word,  placed  by  the  side  of  some 
other  word  to  explain  or  characterize  it. 

2.  The  comma  should  be  omitted, — 

a.  When  two  nouns  without  modifiers  are  in  apposition ; 
as,  Cicero  the  orator  was  born  near  Arpinum.     If  the 
sentence  was,  Cicero,  the  greatest  of  Roman  orators, 
was  born  near  Arpinum,  commas  would  be  necessary. 

b.  When   a  noun  and  a  pronoun  are  in  apposition ;  as, 
Mercury  himself  surpassed  everything  achieved  by 
profaner  hands. 

c.  When  two  pronouns  are  in  apposition ;  as,  He  him- 
self did  this. 

d.  Between  the  parts  of  a  person's  name;  as,  George 
William  Curtis. 

3.  In  annexing  titles  to  a  person's  name,  whether  the  titles 
are  abbreviated  or  written  in  full,  commas  must  be  used ;  as, 
Richard  Whately,  D.  D.,  Archbishop  of  Dublin. 

RULE  XII.  Words  in  Pairs. — Words  in  pairs 
should  have  a  comma  between  each  pair. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  In  all  the  characters,  patriots  and  tyrants,  haters 
and  lovers,  the  frown  and  sneer  of  Harold  were 
discernible  in  an  instant." — Macaulay. 

"Liberty  and  union,  now  and  forever,  one  and 
inseparable." —  Webster. 

RULE  XIII.  Unconnected  Words — When  two 
words,  of  the  same  part  of  speech,  are  not  connec- 
ted by  a  conjunction,  a  comma  should  be  placed 
between  them. 


17 

EXAMPLES. 

"  He  had  in  himself  a  radiant,  living  spring  of 
generous  and  manly  action." — Burke. 
"  A  still,  small  voice." — Kings. 

"  Where  sits  our  sulky,  sullen  dame, 
Gathering  her  brows  like  gathering  storm, 
Nursing  her  wrath  to  keep  it  warm." — Burns. 

REMARKS. 

1.  When  two  nouns,  the  subjects  of  a  verb,  are  not  con- 
nected by  a  conjunction,  a  comma  should  be  placed  between 
the  two  words  and  also  after  the  second ;  as,  "  Indignation, 
expostulation,  were  powerless  upon  him  as  a  mist  upon  a 
rock." — Macdonald. 

2.  When  two  adjectives  come  together,  the  first  qualify- 
ing the  second  adjective  and  also  the  noun,  a  comma  should 
not  be  used ;  as,  A  beautiful  white  horse. 

3.  A  word  repeated  for  emphasis  usually  has  a  punctua- 
tion mark  before  and  after  it ;  as, — 

"Water,  water,  everywhere, 
Nor  any  drop  to  drink." — Coleridge. 

"  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  He  that  believeth  011  me, 
the  works  that  I  do  shall  he  do  also." — John  xiv.  12. 

RULE  XIV.  A  Series  of  Words.— \.  When  a 
series  of  words,  of  the  same  part  of  speech,  are 
connected  by  and,  or,  nor,  they  should  not  be  sepa- 
rated from  each  other  by  punctuation  marks. 

"  The  fruits  and  flowers  and  shrubs  sent  forth 
grateful  perfumes." — Irving. 


i8 

Some  writers  place  a  comma  before  each  and.  This,  how- 
ever, is  not  necessary. 

2.  When  a  conjunction  is  used  only  with  the  last 
word  in  the  series,  a  comma  should  be  placed  be- 
fore the  conjunction  and  between  the  other  words. 

The  fruits,  flowers,  and  shrubs  sent  forth  grate- 
ful perfumes. 

3.  When  the  conjunctions  are  omitted,  a  comma 
should  be  placed  between  each  word  and  also  at 
the  end  of  the  series. 

The  fruits,  flowers,  shrubs,  sent  forth  grateful 
perfumes. 

REMARKS. 

1.  When  the  last  word  in  the  series  precedes  only  a  single 
xvord,  the  comma  should  be  omitted ;  as,  "A  refined,  thought- 
ful, warm-hearted,  pure-souled  Englishman." 

2.  When  two  words  or  expressions  are  connected  by  or, 
the  latter  explaining  the  former,  the  explanatory  word  or 
expression  should  be  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  sentence 
by  a  comma  or  commas ;  as,  "  The  love  of  variety,  or  curios- 
ity of  seeing  new  things,  which  is  the  same,  or  at  least  a 
sister  passion  to  it,  seems  woven  into  the  frame  of  every 
son  and  daughter  of  Adam." — Sterne. 

RULE  XV.  Phrases  and  Clauses — Phrases  and 
clauses,  either  with  or  without  conjunctions,  having 
a  mutual  relation  to  some  other  word  in  the  sen- 
tence, should  be  separated  from  each  other  and 
from  what  follows  by  commas. 


19 
EXAMPLES. 

"  Purity  of  style,  and  an  easy  flow  of  numbers, 
are  common  to  all  Addison's  Latin  poems." — 
Macaiday. 

"  The  unbought  grace  of  life,  the  chief  defense 
of  nations,  the  nurse  of  manly  sentiment  and  heroic 
enterprise,  is  gone." — Burke. 

"  The  little  that  is  known,  and  the  circumstance 
that  little  is  known,  must  be  considered  as  honor- 
able to  him." — Macaulay. 

"  Books  that  you  can  carry  to  the  fire,  and  hold 
readily  in  your  hand,  are  the  most  useful  after  all." 
— Dr.  Johnson. 

REMARKS. 

1.  A  phrase  is  one  of  the  smaller  divisions  of  a  sentence, 
and  consists  of  two  or  more  words.     Apart  from  the  rest  of 
the  sentence,  it  is  incomplete  in  meaning.     It  does  not,  like 
a  clause,  include  a  subject  and  a  verb. 

2.  When  two  brief  expressions  are  connected  by  a  con- 
junction, it  is  better  to  omit  punctuation  marks;  as,  "Good 
company  and  good  discourse  are  the  very  sinews  of  virtue." 
— Izaak  Walton. 

3.  When  words  and  phrases  form  a  series,  a  conjunction 
being  used  only  with  the  last  phrase,  they  should  be  sepa- 
rated from  each  other  and  from  what  follows  by  commas ; 
as,  "  Virtue,  merit,  and  everything  that  is  praiseworthy,  will 
be  made  the  subject  of  ridicule  and  buffoonery." — Addison. 

RULE  XVI.  Logical  Subject. — When  the  log- 
ical subject  ends  with  a  verb,  or  is  separated  into 
parts  by  commas,  or  is  unusually  long,  a  comma 


should  be  placed  between  the  logical  subject  and 
the  main  verb. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  This  imaginary  promise  of  divine  aid  thus 
mysteriously  given,  appeared  to  him  at  present  in 
still  greater  progress  of  fulfillment." — Irving. 

"  The  voice  of  praise,  too,  coming  from  those  to 
whom  we  had  thought  ourselves  unknown,  has  a 
magic  about  it  that  must  be  felt  to  be  understood." 
—  Charles  Lever. 

"  Those  who  can  put  the  best  countenance  upon 
the  outrages  of  this  nature  which  are  offered  them, 
are  not  without  their  secret  anguish." — Addison. 

REMARKS. 

1.  The  logical  subject  consists  of  the  name  of  the  person 
or  thing,  of  which  something  is  affirmed,  together  with  its 
modifying  words.     It  is  "  the  subject  according  to  the  real 
meaning  or  logic  of  the  sentence." 

2.  Some  writers  always  place  a  comma  before  the  verb, 
when  its  subject  consists  of  many  words. 

RULE  XVII.  Contrasted  Expressions. — Con- 
trasted expressions  or  comparisons  should  be  sepa- 
rated by  a  comma. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  Of  the  other  two  men,  one  was  a  species  of 
giant,  the  other  a  sort  of  dwarf." — Hugo. 

"  The  more  I  reflected  upon  it,  the  more  impor- 
tant it  appeared." — Goldsmith. 


"As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water  brooks,  so 
panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  O  God."  —  Psalms. 

"  Master  books,  but  do  not  let  them  master  you. 
Read  to  live,  not  live  to  read." 


REMARKS. 

1.  When  the  comparison  is  short  and  the  words  closely 
connected,  the  comma  may  be  omitted. 

2.  When  so  —  that,  so  —  as,  rather  —  than,  more  —  than,  connect 
expressions,  the  comma  is  usually  omitted;  as,  "  Ingratitude 
never  so  thoroughly  pierces  the  human  heart  as  when  it 
proceeds  from  those  in  whose  behalf  we  have  been  guilty  of 
tran  sgression  ."  —  Fielding. 

When,  however,  the  expressions  themselves  are  divided 
into  smaller  parts  by  commas,  or  are  unusually  long,  they 
should  be  separated  by  a  comma  ;  as,  — 

"  So  over-violent,  or  over-civil, 

That  every  man  with  him  was  God  or  Devil."  —  Dryden. 

3.  When  two  short  expressions  are  united  by  as  or  than,  a 
comma  should  not  be  used  ;  as,  — 

"  He  knew  what's  what,  and  that's  as  high 

As  metaphysic  wit  can  fly."  —  Butler. 

When,  however,  the  expressions  are  long,  it  is  better  to 
use  a  comma;  as,  "I  have  no  more  pleasure  in  hearing  a 
man  attempting  wit  and  failing,  than  in  seeing  a  man  trying 
to  leap  over  a  ditch  and  tumbling  into  it."  —  Dr.  Johnson. 

4.  When  the  first  expression   is  negative  and  the  other 
affirmative,  a  comma  should  be  placed  between  the  expres- 
sions and  before  the  negative  word,  if  it  does  not  commence 
a  sentence;  as,  "The  world  generally  gives  its  admiration, 
not  to  the  man  who  does  what  nobody  else  even  attempts  to 
do,  but  to  the  man  who  does  best  what  multitudes  do  well." 
—  Macaulay. 


If,  however,  a  finite  verb  immediately  precedes  the  nega- 
tive word,  the  comma  should  be  omitted ;  as,  "  Our  greatest 
glory  is  not  in  never  falling,  but  m  rising  every  time  we 
fall." — Confucius. 

RULE  XVIII.  Numeral  Figures. — Arabic 
numbers  should  be  separated  into  periods  of  three 
figures  each,  commencing  at  the  right. 

EXAMPLE. 
2,509,909,456. 

REMARK. 
Dates  should  not  be  separated  into  periods ;  as,  1877. 

RULE  XIX.  Expressions  at  the  End  of  Sen- 
tences.— It  is  frequently  necessary,  at  the  end  of  a 
sentence,  to  separate  an  expression  beginning  with 
a  preposition  from  the  rest  of  the  sentence,  in  order 
to  avoid  ambiguity. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  He  trudged   along,  unknowing  what  he  sought, 
And  whistled  as  he  went,  for  want  of  thought." — Dryden. 

"  Angling  is  always  to  be  considered  as  a  stick 
and  a  string,  with  a  fly  at  one  end  and  a  fool  at  the 
other."— Swift. 

GENERAL  REMARK. 

A  comma  should  always  be  used,  when  it  aids 
in  bringing  out  the  meaning  of  the  writer,  or  in 
avoiding  ambiguity. 


23 

THE  SEMICOLON. 


RULE  I.  Long  Sentences. — When  the  smaller 
divisions  of  sentences  are  separated  by  commas,  the 
main  divisions  should  be  separated  by  semicolons. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  Sheridan,  Pitt,  and  Fox  all  drank  hard  and 
worked  hard ;  they  were  all  great  in  the  councils  of 
the  nation,  but  not  one  could  rule  his  own  house- 
hold."— London  Athenceum. 

"Stiff  in  opinions,  always  in  the  wrong; 
Was  every  thing  by  starts,  and  nothing  long." — Dryden. 

"  Nor  is  it  always  in  the  most  distinguished 
achievements  that  men's  virtues  or  vices  may  be 
best  discerned;  but  very  often  an  action  of  small 
note,  a  short  saying,  or  a  jest,  shall  distinguish  a 
person's  real  character  more  than  the  greatest 
sieges,  or  the  most  important  battles." — Plutarch. 

RULE  II.  Expressions  Complete  in  Themselves. 
— Short  expressions,  complete  in  themselves  but 
slightly  connected  in  meaning,  may  be  separated 
by  semicolons. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  We  do  not  want  precepts  so  much  as  patterns ; 
an  example  is  the  softest  and  least  invidious  way  of 
commanding." — Pliny.  j, 

f 


"  It  is  a  beautiful  thing  to  model  a  statue  and 
give  it  life ;  to  mould  an  intelligence  and  instil  truth 
therein  is  still  more  beautiful." — Hzigo. 

"  There  are  on  every  subject  a  few  leading  and 
fixed  ideas ;  their  tracks  may  be  traced  by  your  own 
genius  as  well  as  by  reading." — Sheridan. 

REMARK. 

When  as  introduces  an  example,  a  semicolon  should  be 
placed  before  and  a  comma  after  it. 

RULE  III.  Series  of  Expressions. — When 
several  clauses  follow  each  other  in  succession, 
having  a  common  dependence  on  some  part  of  the 
sentence,  they  should  be  separated  from  each  other 
by  semicolons,  and  from  the  clause  on  which  they 
depend,  by  a  comma. 

EXAMPLE. 

"  If  such  men  will  make  a  firm  and  solemn  pause, 
and  meditate  dispassionately  on  its  importance;  if 
they  will  contemplate  it  in  all  its  attributes,  and 
trace  it  to  all  its  consequences,  they  will  not  hesi- 
tate to  part  w^ith  trivial  objections  to  a  constitution, 
the  rejection  of  which  would,  in  all  probability,  put 
a  final  period  to  the  Union." — Hamilton. 

REMARK. 

Commas  may  be  used  instead  of  semicolons,  when  the 
clauses  are  short ;  as,  "  When  public  bodies  are  to  be  addressed 
on  momentous  occasions,  when  great  interests  are  at  stake, 
and  strong  passions  excited,  nothing  is  valuable  in  speech 
farther  than  it  is  connected  with  high  intellectual  and  moral 
endowments." —  Webster. 


25 

GENERAL  REMARK. 

When  the  members  of  a  sentence  seem  to  be 
loosely  connected,  they  are  frequently  separated  by 
semicolons. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  Honest  name  is  goodly ;  but  he  that  hunteth 
only  for  that,  is  like  him  that  hath  rather  seem 
warm'  than  be  warm." — Sir  Thomas  Wyatt. 

"  Some  blemishes  may  undoubtedly  be  detected 
in  his  character;  but  the  more  carefully  it  is  exam- 
ined, the  more  will  it  appear  sound  in  the  noble 
parts." — Macaulay. 

Some  writers  use  commas  in  the  examples  given 
above  in  preference  to  semicolons,  and  usage  varies 
so  much  among  our  best  writers  that  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  lay  down  a  general  rule  that  will  be  applica- 
ble in  all  cases.  If  it  is  desirable  to  indicate  a  some- 
what close  connection  between  the  members  of  a 
sentence,  a  comma  should  be  used ;  if  the  connec- 
tion is  slight,  it  is  better  to  use  a  semicolon. 


THE  COLON. 

RULE  I.     Long  Sentences When  the  smaller 

divisions  of  sentences  are  separated  by  semicolons, 
the  main  divisions  should  be  separated  by  a  colon. 


26 
EXAMPLES. 

"  Emulation  is  a  dangerous  passion  to  encourage, 
in  some  points,  in  young  men ;  it  is  so  linked  with 
envy :  if  you  reproach  your  son  for  not  surpassing 
his  school-fellows,  he  will  hate  those  who  are 
before  him." — Sheridan. 

"A  man  over  ninety  is  a  great  comfort  to  all  his 
elderly  neighbors:  he  is  a  picket-guard  at  the 
extreme  outpost;  and  the  young  folks  of  sixty  and 
seventy  feel  that  the  enemy  must  get  by  him  before 
he  can  come  near  the  camp." — O.  W.  Holmes. 

RULE  II.  A  Quotation. — A  colon  should  pre- 
cede a  long  quotation.  If,  however,  the  quotation 
is  short,  it  is  better  to  use  a  comma. 

EXAMPLES. 

Socrates  recommended  to  one  of  his  disciples  the 
following  prayer :  "  O  Jupiter,  give  us  those  things 
which  are  good  for  us,  whether  they  are  such 
things  as  we  pray  for,  or  such  things  as  we  do  not 
pray  for;  and  remove  from  us  those  things  which 
are  hurtful,  though  they  are  such  things  as  we  pray 
for." 

When  the  Earl  of  Dudley  took  leave  of  Sydney 
Smith,  on  going  from  London  to  Yorkshire,  he 
said :  "  You  have  been  laughing  at  me  constantly, 
Sydney,  for  the  last  seven  years,  and  yet,  in  all  that 
time,  you  never  said  a  single  thing  to  me  that  I 
wished  unsaid." 


27 

REMARK. 

1.  When  the  quotation  is  long,  or  it  begins  a  new  para- 
graph,  a  dash  is  frequently  placed  after  the  colon. 

2.  When  a  direct  quotation  is  introduced  into  the  middle 
of  a  sentence,  a  comma  should  be  used ;  as,  "  He  was  sur- 
prised, but  replied, '  I  am  not  the  king,  he  is  there,'  pointing 
at  the  same  time  to  a  different  part  of  the  hall." — Lingard. 

RULE  III.  Enumeration  of  Particulars. — A 
colon  should  precede  an  enumeration  of  particulars, 
when  they  are  formally  introduced  by  thus,  fol- 
lowing, as  follows,  this,  these,  &c. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  We  hold  these  truths  to  be  self-evident :  that 
all  men  are  created  equal;  that  they  are  endowed 
by  their  Creator  with  inalienable  rights:  that 
among  these  are  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of 
happiness." —  Jefferson. 

"  The  penalty  is  graduated  thus :  the  mildest, 
confiscation;  the  moderate,  closing  the  shop;  the 
severest,  exposure." — Lippincotf  s  Magazine. 

REMARKS. 

1.  When  the  particulars  are  preceded  by  a  colon,  they  are 
usually  separated  from  each  other  by  semicolons,  as  in  the 
examples  given  above. 

2.  If  the  particulars  are  not  introduced  by  thus,  following, 
&c.,  they  should  be  preceded  by  a  semicolon ;  as,  "  Grammar 
is  divided  into  four  parts ;  Orthography,  Etymology,  Syntax, 
and  Prosody." 

3.  When  the  particulars  are  preceded  by  a  semicolon,  they 
are  usually  separated  from  each  other  by  commas. 


28 

4-  Sometimes  a  comma  and  dash  are  used  instead  of  a 
semicolon;  as,  "Grammar  is  divided  into  four  parts, — 
Orthography,  Etymology,  Syntax,  and  Prosody. 

GENERAL  REMARK. 

The  colon  is  used  by  some  writers  to  separate 
short  expressions  that  are  complete  in  themselves, 
but  slightly  connected  in  meaning. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  But  men  are  men :  the  best  sometimes  forget." 

— Shakespeare. 

"It  [the  Seine]  is  the  wash-tub  and  summer 
bath-tub  of  its  citizens;  it  was  the  birthplace  of 
Paris,  and  it  is  too  often  the  grave  of  her  children." 
— Lippincotfs  Magazine. 

If  a  conjunction  is  used,  it  is  better  to  use  a  semi- 
colon; as, — 

"  She  cannot  separate  her  name  from  his  without 
lessening  it;  for  it  is  equally  incrusted  with  his 
greatness  as  with  his  faults." — Lamartine. 

She  cannot  separate  her  name  from  his  without 
lessening  it :  it  is  equally  incrusted  with  his  great- 
ness as  with  his  faults. 

The  colon  is  not  as  commonly  used  as  formerly. 
A  semicolon  would  be  preferred  by  very  many 
writers  in  all  sentences  similar  to  the  examples 
given  above.  See  Rule  II.  p.  23. 


29 


THE  PERIOD. 


RULE  I.  Complete  Sentences. — A  period  should 
be  placed  at  the  end  of  a  sentence,  when  it  is  com- 
plete in  meaning  and  construction,  and  is  declara- 
tive or  imperative  in  its  nature. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  Swift  boasted  that  he  was  never  known  to  steal 
a  hint." — Macaulay. 

"  But  evil  is  wrought  by  want  of  thought, 
As  well  as  want  of  heart." — Hood. 

"  It  is  a  great  evil  not  to  be  able  to  bear  an  evil." 

— Bion. 

REMARK. 

A  period  should  always  be  placed  after  the  title  of  an 
essay,  oration,  after  a  signature,  an  address  of  a  person,  &c. 

RULE  II.  Abbreviations. — A  period  should  be 
used  after  every  abbreviation. 

EXAMPLES. 

Dr.  Samuel  A.  Jones.  Mr.  C.  R.  Miller.  Mrs. 
T.  S.  Applegate.  Miss  Hattie  E.  Knapp. 


Esq.,  Esquire. 
Jan.,  January. 
Mich.,  Michigan. 
Hon.,  Honorable. 


Pro  tern.,  for  the  time  being. 
Ans.,  Answer. 
D.  D.,  Doctor  of  Divinity. 
B.  C.,  before  Christ 


Rev.,  Reverend. 
P.,  page;  pp.,  pages. 
Pres.,  President.  [tary. 

Rec.  Sec.,  Recording  Secre- 
N.  Y.,  New  York. 


A.  D.,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord. 
A.  M.,  Master  of  Arts. 
M.  C.,  Member  of  Congress. 
No.,  in  number,  number. 
Co.,  County. 


&c.  or  etc.,  and  so  forth. 

REMARKS. 

1.  It  should  be  remembered  that  the  period  thus  used,  sim- 
ply indicates  an  abbreviation,  and  that  punctuation  marks 
are  to  be  used,  in  addition  to  the  period,  when  required. 
When  a  word,  written  in  full,  requires  a  punctuation  mark 
after  it,  the  same  punctuation  mark  should  be  used  after  the 
word,  when  it  is  abbreviated ;  as,  Adrian,  Michigan,  January 
5,  1877;  Adrian,  Mich.,  Jan.  5,  1877. 

2.  Some  proper  names  are  not  abbreviations,  and  conse- 
quently a  period  should  not  be  used ;  as,  Ben  Jonson,  Fred 
Knapp.     When    Ben.   stands  for  Benjamin,  and  Fred,  for 
Frederick,  a  period  should  be  used. 

3.  When  numerals  are  represented  by  the  letters  of  the 
alphabet,  periods  are  placed  after  them;  as,  Gen.  vii.  i,  7,  8. 

4.  In  numbering  pages,  no  mark  should  be  placed  after  i, 
2,  3,  4,  &c. 

5.  When  a  letter,  used  as  an  abbreviation,  is  doubled  to 
indicate  the  plural,  the  period  should  be  placed  after  the  last 
letter;  as,  pp.  for  pages,  LL.  D.  for  Doctor  of  Laws. 

6.  In  abbreviating  words,  sometimes  the  first  letters  are 
used,  sometimes  the  first  and  last,  and  sometimes  the  first 
and  some  letter  near  the  middle  of  the  word ;  as,  Ala.  for 
Alabama,   Chas.  for  Charles,  Wm.  for  William,  MS.  for 
manuscript. 

7.  A  list  of  abbreviations  will  be  found  at  the  close  of  any 
good  dictionary. 


INTERROGATION  POINT. 


RULE  I.     Direct  Question — A  direct  question 
must  be  followed  by  an  interrogation  point. 


EXAMPLES. 


"  Who  ever  knew  truth  put  to  the  worse,  in  a 
free  and  open  encounter  ? " — Milton. 

"Are  you  good  men  and  true  ?  " — Shakespeare. 


EXCLAMATION  POINT. 


RULE  I.  Strong  Emotion — The  exclamation 
point  is  used  after  expressions  denoting  strong 
emotion. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  Discipline  of  mind !  say  rather  starvation,  con- 
finement, torture,  annihilation." — Macaulay. 

"  My  valor  is  certainly  going !  it  is  sneaking  off! 
I  feel  it  oozing  out,  as  it  were,  at  the  palms  of  my 
hands." — Sheridan. 

"  How  sharper  than  a  serpent's  tooth  it  is 
To  have  a  thankless  child !" — Shakespeare. 

REMARK. 

To  express  an  unusual  degree  of  emotion,  more  than  one 
exclamation  point  may  be  used. 

RULE  II.  Interjections. — All  interjections  ex- 
cept O  may  be  followed  by  an  exclamation  point. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  But,  alas !  to  make  me 
The  fixed  figure  of  the  time,  for  scorn 
To  point  his  slow  unmoving  finger  at." — Shakespeare. 

"  Oh !  blessed  temper,  whose  unclouded  ray- 
Can  make  to-morrow  cheerful  as  to-day." — Pope. 

"  O  thou  invisible  spirit  of  wine,  if  thou  hast  no 
name  to  be  known  by,  Jet  us  call  thee  devil !" — 
Shakespeare. 


33 
REMARKS. 

1.  When  the  connection  between  the  interjection  and  what 
follows   is   very   close,  it  is   sometimes   better   to  put   the 
exclamation  point  at  the  end  of  the  sentence ;  as, — 

"  Oh  for  that  ancient  spirit 
Which  curbed  the  Senate's  will ! " — Macaulay. 

2.  When  it  is  desirable  to  express  strong  feeling  through- 
out an  entire  sentence,  the  exclamation   point   should   be 
placed  at  the  end ;  as, — 

"  Ho,  trumpets,  sound  a  war- note ! 
Ho,  lictors,  clear  the  way !" — Macaulay. 

RULE  III.  Address. — Expressions  of  address, 
when  emphatic,  may  be  followed  by  an  exclamation 
point. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  Lord !  what  music  hast  thou  provided  for  the 
saints  in  heaven,  when  thou  afFordest  bad  men 
such  music  [music  of  the  nightingale]  on  earth." 
— Izaak  Walton. 

"Hail,  candle-light!  without  disparagement   to 
sun  or  moon,  the  kindest  luminary  of  the  three." 
— Lamb. 
"Sweet  Auburn!  loveliest  village  of  the  plain." — Goldsmith. 

"Ah!  happy  years!  on-ce  more  who  would  not  be  a  boy." — 

Byron. 


34 


THE  DASH. 


RULE  I.  Broken  Sentences. — When  a  sentence 
is  broken  off  abruptly,  or  there  is  an  unexpected 
change  in  the  sentiment,  or  hesitation  is  to  be  indi- 
cated, a  dash  should  be  used. 

EXAMPLES. 

Prince. — "  I  tell  you  what,  my  cousin  Buckingham, — " 
Buck. — "  What,  my  gracious  lord  ?" — Shakespeare. 

"  I  only  feel — Farewell — Farewell ! " — Byron. 

"You  will  think  me  foolish; — but — but — may  it 
not  be  that  some  invisible  angel  has  been  attracted 
by  the  simplicity  and  good  faith  with  which  our 
children  set  about  their  undertaking?  May  he  not 
have  spent  an  hour  of  his  immortality  in  playing 
with  those  dear  little  souls?" — Hawthorne. 

"Men  will  wrangle  for  religion;  write  for  it; 
fight  for  it;  die  for  it;  anything  but — live  for  it" 
—  Colt  on. 

RULE  II.      Concluding  Clause When  several 

expressions  follow  each  other  in  succession,  having 
a  common  dependence  on  the  concluding  part  of 
the  sentence,  a  dash  is  frequently  placed  before  the 
clause  on  which  they  depend. 


35 

EXAMPLES. 

"  If  you  think  it  a  crime  in  this  writer  that  his 
language  has  not  been  braided  and  festooned  as 
elegantly  as  it  might  be;  that  he  has  not  pinched 
the  miserable  plaits  of  his  phraseology,  nor  placed 
his  patches  and  feathers  with  that  correctness  of 
millinery  which  became  him, — then  find  a  civil 
and  obliging  verdict  against  the  printer!" — Curran. 

"  To  foster  industry,  to  promote  union,  to  cherish 
religious  peace, — these  were  the  honest  purposes 
of  Lord  Baltimore  during  his  long  supremacy." — 
Bancroft. 

REMARKS. 

1.  A  dash  is  sometimes  used  to  give  prominence  or  em- 
phasis to  an  emphatic  conclusion ;  as,  "  Fortune,  friends,  kin- 
dred, home, — all  were  gone." — Prescott. 

2.  When  such  words  as  namely,  that  is,  &c.,  are  omitted,  a 
dash  is  sometimes  used ;  as,  "  Many  actions,  like  the  Rhone, 
have  two  sources, — one  pure,  and  the  other  impure." — Hare. 

3.  When  a  word  or  an  expression  is  repeated  for  emphasis,  a 
dash  should  be  placed  before  it;  as,  "It  is  this,  I  conjure 
Your  Lordships,  for  your  honor,  for  the  honor  of  the  nation, 
for  the  honor  of  human  nature,  now  intrusted  to  your  care, 
— it  is  this  duty  that  the  Commons  of  England,  speaking 
through  us,  claims  at  your  hands." — Sheridan. 

RULE  III.  Subjects. — When  the  subject  of  a 
general  statement,  or  the  subject  of  a  quotation,  is 
in  the  same  paragraph  with  the  subject-matter,  a 
dash  should  separate  the  subject  from  what  follows. 


36 

EXAMPLES. 

The  Bible — "A  person  who  professes  to  be  a 
critic  in  the  niceties  of  the  English  language  ought 
to  have  the  Bible  at  his  fingers'  ends." — Macaulay. 

Letter-Writing. — "  Common  interests  are  neces- 
sary to  give  permanent  stability  to  epistolary  con- 
nections. We  may  love  a  man  dearly,  and  yet  find 
no  time  to  write  ten  lines  to  him." — Prom  the  Ger- 
man of  Rudolph  Lindau. 

REMARKS. 

1.  A  subject  is  a  word  or  expression  about  which  some 
statement  is  made. 

2.  A  dash  should  be  placed  between  a  quotation  and  the 
author  from  whom  the  quotation  is  taken. 

3.  When  a  question  and  an  answer  are  in  the  same  para- 
graph, a  dash  is  frequently  inserted  between  the  two ;  as,  "  Saw 
you  my  lord?" — "No,  lady." 

4.  When  as,  thus,  as  follorvs,  &c.,  introduce  an  example  or 
a  quotation,  a  dash  should  be  placed  after  the  comma  or 
colon,  if  what  follows  commences  a  new  paragraph ;  as, — 

"All  we  possess,  and  use  not  on  the  road, 
Adds  to  the  burden  we  must  bear." —  Goethe. 

RULE  IV.  Letters  or  Figures  Omitted. — When 
letters  or  figures  are  omitted,  a  dash  should  be 
used  to  indicate  the  omission. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  Why,  to  comfort  me,  must  Alice  W n  be  a 

goblin  ? " — Lamb. 

Mark  xi.  i-io.     Gen.  v.  3-9. 


37 
REMARK. 

3-9  is  equivalent  to  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9. 

GENERAL  REMARK. 

The  dash  is  frequently  used  to  give  prominence 
or  emphasis  to  an  expression. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  In  the  quiet  air,  there  was  a  sound  of  distant 
singing, shepherd  voices." — Dickens. 

"  Wealth  has  its  temptations, — so  has  power." — 
Robertson. 

"  The  poorest  man  may  in  his  cottage  bid  defi- 
ance to  all  the  force  of  the  crown.  It  may  be 
frail;  its  roof  may  shake;  the  wind  may  blow 
through  it;  the  storms  may  enter,  the  rains  may 
enter, — but  the  king  of  England  cannot  enter!  all 
his  forces  dare  not  cross  the  threshold  of  the  ruined 
tenement."— Pitt. 

RULE  V.  Parenthesis. — Two  dashes  are  some- 
times used  instead  of  the  usual  marks  of  paren- 
thesis. 

EXAMPLES. 

"A  yellow  claw — the  very  same  that  had  clawed 
together  so  much  wealth — poked  itself  out  of  the 
coach  window,  and  dropt  some  copper  coins  upon 
the  ground." — Hawthorne. 


38 

"Jackson — the  omniscient  Jackson  he  was  called 
— was  of  this  period.  He  had  the  reputation  of 
possessing  more  multifarious  knowledge  than  any 
man  of  his  time." — Lamb. 

REMARKS. 

1.  When  the  sentence,   without  the   parenthesis,  would 
require   a  comma  where  the  dashes  are  used,  each   dash 
should  be  preceded  by  a  comma ;  as,  "  See  that  aged  couple, 
— a  sad  sight,  truly, — John  Proctor,  and  his  wife  Elizabeth." 
— Hawthorne. 

2.  If  the  parenthetical  expression  is  a  question  or  expresses 
emotion,  an  interrogation  or  an  exclamation  point  should  be 
placed  before  the  second  dash ;  as,  "  The  laurel  of  the  hero — 
alas  for  humanity  that  it  should  be  so ! — grows  best  on  the 
battle  field." 


39 


MARKS  OF  PARENTHESIS. 


RULE  I.  Parenthesis. — When  an  expression 
breaks  the  connection  between  the  different  parts 
of  a  sentence,  and  might  be  omitted  without  affect- 
ing the  sense  or  the  construction,  it  should  be 
inclosed  in  parenthetical  marks. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  Of  all  sound  of  all  bells  (bells,  the  music  nigh- 
est  bordering  heaven)  most  solemn  and  touching  is 
the  peal  which  rings  out  the  Old  \  ear." — Lamb. 

"  The  tuneful  Nine  (so  sacred  legends  tell) 
First  waked  their  heavenly  lyre  these  scenes  to  tell !" 

— Campbell. 

"  Their  intellectual  wardrobe  (to  confess  fairly) 
has  few  whole  pieces  in  it." — .Lamb. 

REMARKS. 

i.  When  parenthetical  marks  are  used,  it  is  sometimes 
necessary  to  use  additional  marks. 

a.  When  the  sentence,  without  the  parenthesis,  requires 
a  punctuation  mark  where  the  parenthetical   marks 
are  used,  the  punctuation  mark  should  be  placed  after 
the  last  mark  of  the  parenthesis ;  as, — 
"  Know  then  this  truth  (enough  for  man  to  know), 
4  Virtue  alone  is  happiness  below.' " — Pope. 


40 

b.  Sometimes  the  parenthesis   requires  a  punctuation 
mark  before  the  last  mark  of  the  parenthesis;  as, 
"  Spill  not  the  morning  (the  quintessence  of  the  day !) 
in  recreations." — Thomas  Fuller. 

c.  When  a  punctuation  mark  immediately  precedes  the 
last  mark  of  the  parenthesis,  and  a  punctuation  mark 
is  also  needed  where  the  parenthetical  marks  are  used, 
it  should  be  placed  before  the  first  mark  of  the  paren- 
thesis ;  as,  "  F.  was  the  most  gentlemanly  of  oilmen. 
He  had  two  Latin   words   almost  constantly  in   his 
mouth,  (how  odd  sounds  Latin  from  an  oilman's  lips !) 
which  my  better  knowledge  since  has  enabled  me  to 
correct." — Lamb. 

2.  An  interrogation  point  inclosed  in  parenthetical  marks 
(?)  implies  that  an  assertion  is  doubtful. 

3.  An   exclamation   point  inclosed   within   parenthetical 
marks  (!)  expresses  irony  or  contempt. 

4.  Parenthetical  marks  are  not  as  frequently  used  as  for- 
merly, the  comma  and  dash  being  often  preferred. 


BRACKETS. 


RULE  I.     Quoted  Passage When  words  are 

inserted  by  another  into  a  quoted  passage,  either  to 
correct  a  mistake  or  explain  the  meaning,  they 
should  be  inclosed  in  brackets. 

EXAMPLES. 

"A  variety  of  pleasing  objects  meet  [meets]  the 
eye." 

" c  My  dear  lady,'  returned  the  schoolmaster  [Mr. 
Graham],  '  when  I  have  on  good  grounds  made  up 
my  mind  to  a  thing,  I  always  feel  as  if  I  had  prom- 
ised God  to  do  it;  and  indeed  it  amounts  to  the 
same  thing  very  nearly.  Such  a  resolve,  then,  is 
not  to  be  unmade,  except  on  equally  good  grounds 
with  those  upon  which  it  was  made.'" — George 

Macdonald. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Punctuation  marks  are  sometimes  required,  when  the 
brackets  are  used.     The  same  remarks  apply  to  the  brackets 
that  apply  to  parenthetical  marks. 

2.  In  reporting  speeches,  brackets  are  used,  when  words 
are  introduced  by  the  reporter  which  do  not  form  a  part  of 
the  speech;  as, — 

"  We  would  have  our  Union  to  be  a  union  of  hearts,  and  we 
would  have  our  Constitution  obeyed,  not  merely  because  of 


42 

force  that  compels  obedience,  but  obeyed  because  the  people 
love  the  principles  of  the  Constitution  [long  continued 
applause],  and  to-day,  if  I  am  called  to  the  work  to  which 
Abraham  Lincoln  was  called  sixteen  years  ago,  it  is  under 
brighter  skies  and  more  favorable  auspices.  [Applause.]  I 
do  hope,  I  do  fervently  believe,  that,  by  the  aid  of  divine 
Providence,  we  may  do  something  in  this  day  of  peace,  by 
works  of  peace,  towards  re-establishing,  in  the  hearts  of  our 
countrymen,  a  real,  a  hearty  attachment  to  the  Constitution 
as  it  is,  and  to  the  Union  as  it  is.  [Long  continued  applause]. 
— PRESIDENT  HAYES. — Chicago  Tribune. 

3.  Parenthetical   marks  are  frequently    used   instead   of 
brackets. 


43 


QUOTATION  MARKS. 


RULE  I.  Direct  Quotation — When  the  exact 
words  of  another  are  given,  they  should  be  inclosed 
in  quotation  marks. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  He  had  the  longest  tongue  and  the  shortest 
temper  of  any  man,  high  or  low,  I  ever  met  with." 
—  Wilkie  Collins. 

Prescott,  in  his  "  Conquest  of  Mexico,"  tells  us 
that  intemperance  among  the  Aztecs  "was  pun- 
ished in  the  young  with  death,  and  in  older  persons 
with  loss  of  rank  and  confiscation  of  property." 

REMARKS. 

1.  When  the  exact  words  of  another  are  not  given,  quota- 
tion marks  should  not  be. used;  as, — 

Longfellow  says, — 

"  Deeds  are  better  things  than  words  are." 
Longfellow  somewhere  says  that  deeds  are  better  than 
words. 

2.  When  words  are  quoted  from  a  foreign  language,  they 
should  be  printed  in  italics,  and  the  quotation  marks  omitted ; 
as,  "They  have  their  good  glebe  lands  /;/  manu,  and  care 
not  much  to  rake  into  title  deeds/' — Lamb. 

3.  When  words  are  to  be  italicized,  a  straight  mark  should 
be  drawn  underneath  the  words. 


44 

4-  When  a  quotation  is  followed  by  a  comma,  semicolon, 
colon,  or  period,  the  punctuation  mark  should  be  placed 
within  the  quotation  marks ;  as,  "  Mr.  M' Adam  writes  some- 
times with  genuine  humor,  and  an  occasional  entirely  origi- 
nal simile  shows  evidence  of  the  possession  of  what  phrenol- 
ogists call  the  faculty  of '  comparison ; '  but  the  charm  of  the 
book  is  its  rare  perspicacity." — Harpers  Magazine. 

5.  When  a  quotation  is  followed  by  an  exclamation  or  an 
interrogation  point,  the  punctuation  mark  should  be  placed 
within  the  quotation  marks,  if  it  forms  a  part  of  the  quota- 
tion ;  as,  "  I  feel  almost  like  groaning,  when  a  young  mother 
shows  me  some  marvel  of  embroidery  or  machine-stitching, 
saving  triumphantly,  'There,  I  did  every  stitch  of  that  my- 
self ! '  " — Scribncr^s  Monthly. 

6.  When  a  quotation  is  followed  by  an  exclamation  or  an 
interrogation  point,  the  punctuation  mark  should  be  placed 
outside  of  the  quotation  marks,  if  it  belongs  to  the  whole 
sentence  and  not  to  the  quotation ;  as,  "  We  wonder  what 
Handel  would  have  said  to  Mozart's  scoring  of  *  I  know  that 
my  Redeemer  liveth ' ! " — Atlantic  Monthly.    "  Why  cannot 
we  hear,  for  instance,  the  wonderful  curioso,  '  He  gave  his 
back  to  the  smiters,'  that  forms  the  second  part  of  the  air, 
'lie  was  despised,'  and  the  duet  for  contralto  and  tenor,  'O 
death  where  is  thy  sting '  ?  " — Atlantic  Monthly. 

RULE  II.  Titles  of  Books — Titles  of  books  are 
generally  inclosed  in  quotation  marks. 

EXAMPLES. 

Morris's  "  Story  of  Sigurd." — Scribner^s  Monthly. 
"  The  Mikado's  Empire." — N.  A.  Review. 
"Daniel  Deronda." — Contemporary  Review. 
The  Rev.  W.  W.  Capes's  history  of  "  The  Early 

Roman  Empire." — Appletotfs  Journal. 


45 
REMARKS. 

1.  The   names  of  magazines   and   papers   are  generally 
printed  in  italics;   as,  The  Atlantic,  N.  T.  Nation,  Fraser's 
Magazine,    Appletorfs    Journal,    Nature,     Popular    Science 
Monthly. 

2.  In  examining  The  Atlantic,  Nation,  Scribner's  Monthly, 
Harper's,  Appletorfs  Magazine,  Lippincotf  s,  Popular  Science 
Monthly,   Galaxy,  Eclectic,  N.  A.  Review,  New  Englander, 
London   ^tiarterly,  British   Quarterly,    Westminster  Review, 
Edinburgh  Review,   Contemporary  Review,   The  Fortnightly 
Review,  we  find  that  thirteen  of  these  use  quotation  marks, 
and  four  use  italics,  in  referring  to  the  titles  of  books;  eleven 
use  italics,  and  six  use  quotation  marks,  in  referring  to  maga- 
zines and  papers. 

RULE  III.  A  Shwtation  'within  a  Quotation. — 
When  there  is  a  quotation  within  a  quotation,  sin- 
gle marks  should  be  used  in  addition  to  double 
marks. 

EXAMPLES. 

"Who  was  the  blundering  idiot  who  said  that 
c  fine  words  butter  no  parsnips.'  Half  the  parsnips 
of  society  are  served  and  rendered  palatable  with 
no  other  sauce." — Thackeray. 

"  There  is  a  small  but  ancient  fraternity,  known 
as  the  Order  of  Gentlemen.  It  is  a  grand  old  or- 
der. A  poet  has  said  that  Christ  founded  it;  that 
he  was  4  the  first  true  gentleman  that  ever  lived.' " 
—  Winthrop. 

REMARKS. 

i.  Sometimes  the  quotation  within  a  quotation  has  a  word 
or  phrase  that  is  quoted.  The  word  or  phrase  must  be  in- 
closed in  double  marks. 


2.  In  quoting  Scripture,  it  is  customary  to  place  only 
double  marks  at  the  beginning  and  end  of  the  quotation;  as, 
"  And  Jesus,  moved  with  compassion,  put  forth  his  hand, 
and  touched  him,  and  saith  unto  him,  I  will ;  be  thou  clean." 
— Mark  t,  41. 

RULE  IV.  Paragraphs. — When  several  para- 
graphs are  quoted  in  succession,  double  marks 
should  be  placed  at  the  beginning  of  each  para- 
graph, and  at  the  end  of  the  entire  quotation. 

EXAMPLE. 

"  The  children  woke.  The  little  girl  was  the 
first  to  open  her  eyes. 

"  The  waking  of  children  is  like  the  unclosing  of 

o  o 

flowers,  a  perfume  seems  to  exhale  from  those  fresh 
young  souls.  Georgette,  twenty  months  old,  the 
youngest  of  the  three,  who  was  still  a  nursing  baby 
in  the  month  of  May,  raised  her  little  head,  sat  up 
in  her  cradle,  looked  at  her  feet,  and  began  to  chatter. 
"A  ray  of  morning  fell  across  her  crib;  it  would 
have  been  difficult  to  decide  which  was  the  rosiest, 
Georgette's  foot  or  Aurora." — Hugo* 

REMARKS. 

1.  A  paragraph  usually  consists  of  several  sentences.     It 
begins  on  a  new  line,  and  is  distinguished  by  a  blank  space 
on  the  left,  at  the  commencement  of  the  paragraph. 

2.  When  parts  of  a   quotation  are   omitted,   use   several 
stars  to  indicate  the  omission  (  *  *  *  *  ),  or  place  double 
marks  at  the  beginning  and  end  of  each  detached  part  of  the 
qviotation. 


47 


THE  APOSTROPHE. 


RULE  I.     Letters  Omitted. — The  apostrophe  is 
used  to  indicate  the  omission  of  a  letter  or  letters. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  O  Marcia,  O  my  sister,  still  there's  hope !  "- 
Addis  on. 

"  Thou  knowest  'tis  common ;  all,  that  live,  must  die, 
Passing  through  nature  to  eternity." — Shakespeare. 

REMARK. 

The  apostrophe  is  made  like  a  comma,  but  is  placed  above 
the  line. 

RULE  II.     Possession. — The  apostrophe  is  used 
to  denote  possession. 

EXAMPLES. 

Taine's  "  English  Literature."  Rawlinson's  "  An- 
cient Monarchies." 

REMARKS. 

I.  The  apostrophe  and  s  should  be  used  with  nouns  in  the 
singular,  even  when  the  word  ends  in  5  or  x;  as, — 
u  Dickens's  Works." — Applet 011* s  Journal. 
"  Cox's  General  History  of  Greece." — Harper's  Magazine. 
"  Evans's  observations." — Edinburgh  Review. 
"  Mr.  Hayes's  responsibility." — N.  T.  Nation. 


48 

In  addition  to  the  periodicals  given  above,  The  Atlantic, 
Scribner*s  Monthly,  Lippincotfs  Magazine,  Popular  Science 
Monthly,  Galaxy,  N.  A.  Revic~M,  London  ®>iiarterly,  British 
Quarterly,  Fortnightly  Review,  use  the  additional  s.  The 
Westminster  omits  the  additional  s.  In  the  Contemporary 
and  Edinburgh  Review,  the  .v  is  used  by  some  writers  and 
omitted  by  others. 

2.  In  the  plural  of  nouns,  the  apostrophe  and  s  are  used 
to  denote  possession,  when  the  word  does  not  end  in  _v  /  as, 
men's  deeds.     If  the  word  ends  in  s,  the  apostrophe  only  is 
used;  as,  my  neighbors'  house. 

3.  The  apostrophe  should  not  be  used  before  5  in  ours, 
yours,  hers,  theirs,  its. 


49 


THE  HYPHEN. 


RULE  I.  Compound  Words — The  hyphen  is 
used  to  connect  the  parts  of  a  compound  word. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  My  household-gods  plant  a  terrible  fixed  foot, 
and  are  not  to  be  rooted  up  without  blood." — 
Lamb. 

"The  breezy  call  of  incense-breathing  morn." — Gray. 

REMARKS. 

1.  A  compound  word  is  formed  by  placing  together  two 
simple  words. 

2.  Sometimes  several  words  are  connected   together  by 
hyphens ;  as,  "  He  had  a  lively  touch-and-go-away  with  him, 
very  pleasant  and  engaging  I  admit." — Wilkie  Collins. 

3.  When  a  compound  word  comes  into  very  general  use, 
the  hyphen   is   sometimes  omitted ;  as,  railroad,  steamboat, 
bookstore. 

4.  To-day,  to-night,  to-morrow,  should  always  be  written 
with  a  hyphen. 

5.  When  there  is  any  doubt  whether  two  words  should  be 
united  by  a  hyphen  or  written  as  one  word,  some  standard 
dictionary  should  be  consulted.     It  will,  however,  be  found 
that  even  dictionaries  differ  somewhat  in  the  use  and  omis- 
sion of  the  hyphen  in  compound  words.     In  order  to  pre- 
serve some  uniformity  in  spelling  and  in  the  formation  of 


50 

compound  words,  every  \vriter  should  make  either  Webster 
or  Worcester  the  final  authority. 

RULE  II.  Prefixes. — When  a  prefix  ends  in  a 
vowel,  and  the  word  to  which  it  is  joined  com- 
mences with  a  vowel,  they  should  be  separated  by 
a  hyphen. 

EXAMPLES. 

Re-admit,  co-ordinate,  pre-existenc'e,  pre-emi- 
nent. 

REMARKS. 

1.  A  prefix  is  a  letter,  syllable,  or  word,  placed  before  some 
word,  thus  forming  a  new  word. 

2.  If,  instead  of  two  vowels,  a  vowel  and  a  consonant  come 
together,  the  prefix  and  the  word  to  which  it  is  jokied  should 
usually  be  written  as  one  word ;  as,  rewrite,  predetermine. 

3.  Vice-president,  and  most  words  with  vice  as  a  prefix, 
should  be  written  with  a  hyphen. 

4.  Some  writers  use  the  diuresis  instead  of  the  hyphen. 
With  prefixes  it  is  better  to  use  the  hyphen,  but  in  other 
words  containing  two  vowels  that  do  not  form  a  diphthong, 
the  diaeresis  should  be  used ;  as,  Zoology. 

RULE  III.  Division  of  Words. — When  it  is 
necessary  to  write  part  of  a  word  at  the  end  of  a 
line  and  part  at  the  beginning  of  the  next  line,  the 
division  should  be  made  at  the  end  of  a  syllable, 
and  the  parts  should  be  connected  by  a  hyphen,  at 
the  end  of  the  line. 

EXAMPLE. 

"  Knowledge  is  of  two  kinds.     We  know  a  sub- 

o 

ject  ourselves,  or  we  know  where  we  can  find  in- 
formation upon  it." — Dr.  Johnson. 


REMARKS. 

1.  It  is  better  to  divide  a  word  as  near  the  middle  as  possi- 
ble. 

2.  When  two  word^  one  at  the  end  of  a  line  and  the  other 
at  the  commencement  of  the  following  line,  are  separated  by 
a  punctuation  mark,  it  should  be  placed  at  the  end  of  the 
line,  and  never  at  the  beginning. 


MISCELLANEOUS  MARKS. 


I.  Two  Commas  (  "  )  indicate  that  the  word  un- 
der which  they  are  placed  is  to  be  repeated. 

Charles  Harrison,  Adrian,  Mich. 
Clinton  Hardy,  «  « 

II.  The  Caret  (  /\  )  indicates  that  something  is 
written  above  the  line  that  forms  a  part  of  the  sen- 
tence.    It  is  only  used  in  writing. 


lije  oj  danyeb  and  ho/i<Lliifc  unvfieeled  by 
ko/ie.  /i  i&  deaiti  wkoiiwd." 

1  A 

III.  Marks  of  Ellipsis  (—  ,  .....  ,*****)  indi- 
cate the  omission  of  letters,  words,  or  sentences. 
i.  "I   was    the    true    descendant   of    those    old 


2.  "  I  have  a  belief  of  my  own,  ....  that  by  de- 
siring what  is  perfectly  good,  even  when  we  don't 
quite  know  what  it  is,  ....  we  are  a  part  of  a  divine 
power  against  evil,  widening  the  skirts  of  light, 
and  making  the  struggle  with  darkness  narrower." 
—  George  Eliot. 

Four  words  are  omitted  where  the  first  dots  are,  and  five 
where  the  second  are. 


53 

3-  "My  lov'd,  my  honour'd,much  respected  friend! 
********* 

To  you  I  sing,  in  simple  Scottish  lays, 

The  lowly  train  in  life's  sequester'd  scene, 
The  native  feeling  strong,  the  guileless  ways ; 
What  Aiken  in  his  cottage  would  have  been." 

— Burns. 
In  the  above,  three  lines  are  omitted. 

IV.  Leaders  ( )  are  used  to  indicate  a  con- 
nection between  words  at  the  beginning  of  the  line 
and  what  is  at  the  end  of  the  line. 

Winnowed  Wheat Nellie  R.  Luck. 

Dreams,  a  Poem Octa  E.  Wise. 

V.  In  writing,  one  line  drawn  under  a  word  in- 
dicates that  it  is  to  be  printed  in  italics;  two  lines, 
in  small  capitals;  three  lines,  in  capitals. 

VI.  Marks  of  Reference  are  used  to  refer  to 
notes  at  the  bottom  of  the  page,  or  to  remarks  in 
the  margin.     They  are  the  following: — 

The  Star  (*),  the  Dagger  (f),  the  Double  Dagger 
(J),  the  Section  (§),  Parallel  Lines  (|),  the  Para- 
graph fl[). 

The  above  marks  are  given  in  the  order  in  which 
they  are  used. 

The  Paragraph  (^[)  is  also  used,  in  written  compositions, 
to  denote  that  what  follows  should  commence  a  new  line. 


54 


55 


INTRODUCTION. 

It  has  been  the  custom  among  some  writers  to 
commence  every  important  word  with  a  capital,  so 
that  some  printed  productions  have  fairly  bristled 
with  capitalized  words;  as, — 

"  Modern  authors  have  with  unwearied  Pains 
made  many  useful  Searches  into  the  weak  Sides  of 
the  Ancients,  and  given  us  a  comprehensive  Lift  of 
them."— Swift. 

"  There  were  a  Race  of  Men  who  delighted  to 
nibble  at  the  Superfluities  and  Excrescences  of 
Books."— Swift. 

The  custom  of  commencing  all  nouns  with  a 
capital  is  still  prevalent  among  the  Germans  of  the 
present  day. 

It  is  a  somewhat  interesting  fact  that  the  use  and 
value  of  capitals  has  been  subject  to  a  rise  and  fall 
in  the  literary  market,  written  productions  during 
some  centuries  abounding  in  them,  while  in  other 
centuries  they  have,  in  a  great  measure,  been  dis- 
carded, and  have  become  comparative  strangers  in 
English  composition. 

In  the  early  part  of  this  century,  there  was  a 
tendency  to  use  them  to  an  inconsiderate  extent, 
owing  principally  to  German  imitators  like  Carlyle 


56 

and  others,  who  adopted,  in  a  somewhat  modified 
form,  the  German  method  of  capitalizing  words. 
Just  at  present  there  seems  to  be  a  reaction  setting 
in,  and  there  is  a  tendency  among  some  of  our 
leading  publishing  houses  to  dispense  with  their 
use  as  much  as  possible.  In  democratic  America, 
there  has  always  been  a  somewhat  unreasonable 
fear  of  official  titles,  and  when  they  are  used,  they 
are  frequently  belittled  with  small  letters.  This 
has  had  a  tendency  to  encourage  the  use  of  small 
letters  in  many  words  that  should  properly  com- 
mence with  capitals. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  a  judicious  use  of  capi- 
tals assists  the  eye  very  much  in  reading  what 
another  has  written,  and  in  understanding  a  writer's 
meaning.  While,  on  the  other  hand,  an  injudicious 
use  lessens  their  value,  and  disfigures  a  printed 
page. 

Although  the  taste  and  judgment  of  each  writer 
may  be  consulted  in  the  capitalization  of  some 
words  to  which  he  may  assign  a  special  meaning, 
there  are  a  number  of  well  established  principles, 
sanctioned  by  long  usage,  that  should  govern  all 
writers  in  the  use  of  capital  letters. 


57 


CAPITALS. 


RULE  I.     Sentences The  first  word  of  every 

sentence  should  commence  with  a  capital. 

EXAMPLES. 

44  The  price  we  challenge  for  ourselves  is  given  us." — Schiller. 

"  The  elder  brother  of  Franklin  ventured  to  start 

a  newspaper,  though  warned  that  America  could 

never  support  two  newspapers." —  William  Russel. 

"  Trust  in  yourself,  and  you  have  learnt  to  live." — Goethe. 

REMARKS. 

1.  A  sentence  is  an  assemblage  of  words  making  complete 
sense,  and  followed  by  a  period.     Sometimes  a  sentence  has 
an  interrogation  or  an  exclamation  point  at  its  close ;  as, — 

"  For  of  the  wholly  conimon  is  man  made, 
And  custom  is  his  nurse ! " — Schiller. 

2.  Any  expression  that  is  equivalent  to  a  sentence  should 
commence  with  a  capital;   as,   Very  affectionately.     Price 
$5.00. 

3.  As  a  period  indicates  the  close  of  a  sentence,  the  word 
following  the  period  should  commence  with  a  capital ;  as, 
"  The  little  soul  is  like  a  vapor  that  hovers  around  a  marshy 
lake.     It  never  rises  on  the  green  hill,  lest  the  winds  meet  it 
there." — Ossian. 


58 

If,  however,  a  period  is  used  to  indicate  an  abbreviation,  it 
should  not  be  followed  by  a  capital,  unless  it  is  at  the  close 
of  a  sentence,  or  the  word  that  follows  it  requires  a  capital; 
as,  In  Germany,  the  degrees  of  M.  D.,  LL.  D.,  and  Ph.  D. 
are  only  gained  after  passing  a  severe  examination. 

4.  Although  a  capital  is  generally  used  after  an  interroga- 
tion or  an  exclamation  point,  as  they  usually  indicate  the 
close  of  a  sentence,  this  is  not  always  the  case ;  as, — 
"How  poor!  how  rich!  how  abject!  how  august! 
How  complicate !  how  wonderful  is  man ! 
How  passing  wonder  He  who  made  him  such! 
Who  centered  in  our  make  such  strange  extremes ! " 

— Young. 

RULE  II.  Poetry. — The  first  word  of  every 
line  of  poetry  should  commence  with  a  capital. 

EXAMPLES. 

"There  is  a  day  of  sunny  rest 

For  every  dark  and  troubled  night; 
And  grief  may  bide  an  evening  guest, 

But  joy  shall  come  with  early  light." — Bryant. 
"  But  far  more  numerous  was  the  herd  of  such, 
Who  think  too  little  and  who  talk  too  much." — Dryden. 

RULE  III.  Persons  and  Places. — Names  of 
persons,  countries,  cities,  islands,  rivers,  mountains, 
&c.,  should  commence  with  capitals. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  The  finest  thief  of  old  history  is  the  pirate  who 
made  that  famous  answer  to  Alexander,  in  which 
he  said  that  the  conqueror  was  only  the  mightier 
thief  of  the  two." — Leigh  Hunt. 


59 

America,  France,  London,  New  York,  West 
Indies,  Hudson,  Rhine,  Rocky  Mountains,  Mount 
Vernon,  Pacific. 

REMARKS. 

1.  When  North,  South,  East,  &c.,  refer  to  political  or  geo- 
graphical divisions,  they  should  commence  with  capitals; 
as,  "  But  sectional  bitterness  has  in  a  great  measure  passed 
away ;  the  fatal  cause  of  discord  between  North  and  South 
has  been  removed." 

When  these  words  refer  merely  to  the  points  of  the  com- 
pass, they  should  be  written  with  small  letters. 

2.  Words  derived  from  the  names  of  persons  should  com- 
mence with  capitals;  as,  Socratic,  Platonic,  Elizabethan. 

When  words  derived  from  the  names  of  persons  or  places 
lose  their  individual  character,  and  are  used  as  common 
words,  they  should  commence  with  small  letters;  as,  god- 
like, hector,  turkey,  china-ware,  laconic. 

3.  Heaven  and  hell  are  written  with  small  letters  in  the 
Bible.     Satan  is  always  printed  with  a  capital,  but  devil  com- 
mences with  a  small  letter,  unless  it  stands  for  Satan ;  as, 
"  Then  was  Jesus  led  up  of  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness  to 
be  tempted  of  the  devil." — Mat.  iv.  i. 

RULE  IV.  Nations. — The  names  of  nations,  or 
words  derived  from  the  names  of  nations,  should 
commence  with  capitals. 

EXAMPLES. 

"c  Simply  to  be  poor,'  says  my  favorite  Greek 
historian,  '  was  not  held  scandalous  by  the  wise 
Athenians;  but  highly  so,  to  owe  that  poverty  to 
our  own  indiscretion.' " — Fielding. 


6o 

American,  German,  French,  Latins,  American- 
ize, Latinize,  Hellenize. 

REMARK. 

Italics  and  Italicize  are  frequently  written  with  small  letters. 

RULE  V.  Sects  and  Parties. — The  names  of 
religious  sects  and  political  parties  should  commence 
with  capitals. 

EXAMPLES. 

Christian,  Mohammedan,  Lutheran,  Catholic, 
Protestant,  Episcopal,  Presbyterian,  Baptist,  Uni- 
tarian. 

Republican,  Federalist,  Democrat,  Whig,  Tory, 
Radical. 

REMARKS. 

1.  When  republican,  radical,  &c.,  are  used  as  common 
words,  and  not  as  the  names  of  political  parties,  they  should 
commence  with  small   letters;   as,  republican  institutions, 
radical  measures. 

2.  Some  writers  use  small  letters,  when  referring  to  politi- 
cal parties.     If,  however,  it  is  incorrect  to  write  Congrega- 
tional, Methodist,  with  small  letters,  why  is  it  not  incorrect 
to  commence  Republican,  Whig,  with  small  letters? 

3.  Church  should  be  written  with  a  capital,  when  it  refers 
to  a  religious  sect;   as,  the  Episcopal  Church,  meaning  the 
whole  body  of  Christians  belonging  to  that  denomination. 
When  the  word  refers  to  a  place  of  worship,  it  should  com- 
mence with  a  small  letter. 

RULE  VI.     Months  and  Days The  names  of 

months  and  days  should  commence  with  capitals. 


6i 

EXAMPLES. 

"  No  one  ever  regarded  the  first  of  January  with 
indifference.  It  is  that  from  which  all  date  their 
time,  and  count  upon  what  is  left.  It  is  the  nativity 
of  our  common  Adam." — Lamb. 

February,  March,  April,  May;  Monday,  Tues- 
day, Wednesday,  Sunday,  Good  Friday,  Easter. 

REMARK. 

Spring,  summer,  autumn,  winter,  should  be  written  with 
small  letters. 

RULE  VII.     Titles  of  Books All  the  words, 

with  the  exception  of  articles,  conjunctions,  and 
prepositions,  in  the  titles  of  books,  should  com- 
mence with  a  capital. 

EXAMPLES. 

Forsyte's  "  Life  of  Cicero."  "  The  Fall  qf  the 
Roman  Republic,"  Rev.  C.  Merivale. 

REMARKS. 

1.  It  is  just  as  necessary  to  capitalize  the  title  of  a  book, 
as  it  is  the  name  of  a  person. 

2.  The  title  of  an  oration,  essay,  article  for  a  newspaper,  or 
of  any  written  production,  follows  the  same  rule  as  the  title 
of  a  book. 

3.  Names  of  sacred  writings  should  always  be  capitalized ; 
as,  Bible,  Old  and  New  Testament,  the  Scriptures,  Acts, 
Revelation,  Gospel  of  John,  Koran,  Vedas. 


62 

RULE  VIII.     Titlc-Pages The  title-pages  of 

books  are  generally  printed  entirely  with  capitals. 
The  title-page  of  any  book  will  illustrate  this  rule. 

REMARKS. 

1.  This  rule  concerns  more  especially  the  printer. 

2.  The  first  word  of  a  chapter  is  generally  printed  in  small 
capitals,  the  first  letter  of  the  word  being  a  large  capital. 

3.  In  handbills  and  advertisements,  all  important  words 
are  capitalized,  so  as  to  attract  special  attention. 

RULE  IX.      Titles   of  Persons All   titles   of 

respect  or  honor  should  be  capitalized. 
There  are  three  classes  of  titles: — 

1.  Common  Titles. 

Mr.,  Mrs.,  Miss,  Master. 

2.  Professional  Titles. 

Prof.,  Dr.,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  &c. 

3.  Official  Titles. 

Hon.,  His  Excellency,  His  Honor,  Presi- 
dent, Secretary,  Senator,  Mr.  Chairman,  &c. 

EXAMPLES. 

President  Hayes,  Senator  Morton,  Hon.  Thomas 
W.  Ferry,  Dr.  Chas.  Rynd,  Mr.  Fred.  J.  Todd. 

REMARKS. 

i .  A  distinction  should  always  be  made  between  words  used 
as  titles,  and  words  used  in  a  general  sense.  For  example,  sen- 
ator should  commence  with  a  small  letter,  if  it  is  not  placed 


63 

before  the  name  of  a  person  as  a  title,  or  does  not  refer  to  a 
particular  individual.  This  is  the  same  with  president,  sec- 
retary, doctor,  &c. ;  as,  "A  patient  owes  some  thanks  to  a 
doctor  who  restores  him  with  nectar  smooth  and  fragrant, 
instead  of  rasping  his  throat  and  flaying  his  interior  with  the 
bitters  sucked  by  sour-tempered  roots  from  vixenish  soils." 
—  Winthrop. 

2.  Father,  brother,  sister,  aunt,  uncle,  cousin,  &c.,  should 
commence  with  a  capital,  when  they  are  used  like  titles  with 
the  names  of  persons ;  as,  Father  Pierce,  Cousin  Blackmar. 

3.  Sir,  father,  brother,  friend,  &c.,  when  used  as  introduc- 
tory words  to  a  letter,  should  commence  with  capitals,  as  a 
mark  of  respect ;  as,  My  dear  Sir,  My  dear  Friend. 

4.  In  writing  such  titles  as  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  Secretary  of   State,  Alexander  the   Great,  all   the 
words  in  the  title  should  commence  with  a  capital,  except 
of  and  the. 

RULE  X.  The  Deity All  names  of  the  Su- 
preme Being  or  his  Son  should  commence  with  a 
capital. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  But  it  is  now  time  to  depart, — I  to  die,  but 
you  to  live.  But^which  of  us  is  going  to  the  better 
state  is  unknown  to  every  one  but  God." — Socrates. 

"  For  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  perish  but  have  everlasting  life." — 
Jo  Jin  Hi.  1 6. 

REMARKS. 

i.  Writers  differ  somewhat  in  the  use  of  capitals  in  words 
referring  to  the  Deity.  Some  capitalize  all  words  in  any 


64 

way  referring  to  the  Supreme  Being,  while  others  simply 
capitalize  the  words  that  to  them  seem  important.  There 
should  be  some  uniformity  in  the  use  -of  capitals  in  words  of 
this  character.  As  a  general  rule,  it  is  better  to  follow  the 
usage  of  an  authorized  version  of  the  Scriptures. 

2.  Such  words  as  First  Cause,  First  Principle,  Almighty 
God,  Supreme  Being,  Lord  God  Almighty,  Infinite  One, 
should  always  be  written  with  capitals. 

3.  King  of  kings,  Lord  of  lords,  Son  of  man,  Father  of 
lights,  Father  of  spirits,  God  of  hosts,  Father  of  mercies, 
Prince  of  life,  Prince  of  kings,  and  expressions  of  a  similar 
character,  should  only  commence  with  a  capital.     This  is 
the  almost  invariable  usage  of  the  Scriptures.     These  expres- 
sions are  not  commonly  used  in  the  Bible  as  titles,  in  the 
strict  sense  of  the  word.     For  example,  King  of  kings  really 
means  that  the  Deity  is  the  supreme  King  of  all  human 
kings.     For  illustration  see  I  Tim.  vi.  15;  Dan.  vii.  13;  Jas. 
i.  17;  Heb.  xii-9;Psa.  Ixxx.  7;  2  Cor.  i.  3;  Acts  iii.  15;    Mat. 
xii.  32.     When  these  forms  are  used  as  titles,  they  may  be 
capitalized  like  titles. 

4.  The  adjectives  eternal,  divine,  heavenly,  are  not  printed 
with  capitals  in  the  Scriptures,  when  referring  to  the  Deity ; 
as,  the  eternal  God,  heavenly  Father.     See  Deut.  xxxiii.  27; 
Heb.  ix.  14;  Mat.  vi.  32;  2  Pet.  i.  3.     When,  however,  these 
adjectives  are  used  in  an  emphatic  or  special  sense,  they  may 
commence  with  capitals. 

5.  The  pronouns  referring  to  the  Deity  should  not  be  cap- 
italized, when  they  are  used  with  some  name  of  the  Supreme 
Being ;  as,  "At  that  time  Jesus  answered  and  said,  I  thank  thee, 
O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  because  thou  hast  hid 
these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed 
them    to  babes." — Mat.  xi.  25.     Any  chapter  of  the   New 
Testament  will  give  similar  illustrations. 

When,  however,  a  pronoun  referring  to  the  Deity  stands 
alone,  it  should  commence  with  a  capital ;  as, — 


65 

"  O  Thou !  with  whom  the  night  is  day, 
And  one  the  near  and  far  away." —  Whittier. 

6.  The  capitalization  of  pronouns  is  sometimes  carried  to 
a  ridiculous  excess  by  some  writers,  especially  in  poetry ;  as, 

"  We  praise  Thee,  O  God !  for  the  Son  of  Thy  love." 

7.  God,  goddess,  deity,  applied  to  heathen  divinities,  should 
not  commence  with  a  capital. 

RULE  XI.     Quotations — When  the  exact  words 
of  another  are  given,  the  first  word  of  the  quota- 
tion should  commence  with  a  capital,  if  it  forms  a 
complete  sentence. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  When  the  celebrated  Chesterfield  was  asked  by 
a  Parisian  lady, 'Why,  my  Lord,  does  England 
still  retain  Christianity?'  '  Madame,'  he  replied, 
with  that  mixture  of  repartee  and  philosophy 
which  met  the  case  he  was  dealing  with, '  Madame, 
because,  as  yet,  we  have  been  able  to  find  nothing 
better.' " 

Fielding  somewhere  says,  "A  good  face  is  a  let- 
ter of  recommendation." 

REMARKS. 

1.  When  a  quotation  is  introduced  by  thtxt^  it  should  not 
commence  with  a  capital ;  as,  Napoleon  banished  Madame 
de  Stael  because  he  said  that  "  she  carried  a  quiver  of  arrows 
that  could  hit  a  man  if  he  were  seated  on  a  rainbow." 

2.  When  only  a  part  of  a  sentence  is  quoted,  a  small  let- 
ter should  be  used ;  as,  "  For  what  satisfaction  hath  a  man, 


66 

that  he  shall  4  lie  down  with  kings  and  emperors  in  death,' 
who  in  his  lifetime  never  greatly  coveted  the  society  of  such 
bedfellows  ?" — Lamb. 

3.  Sometimes  a  single  word  comprises  the  entire  saying  of 
another.     When  this  is  so,  it  should  commence  with  a  capi- 
tal ;  as,  "  He  shouted,  l  Victory.' " 

4.  When  examples  are  given  as  illustrations  of  some  gen- 
eral principle,  they  naturally  follow  the  same  rule  as  quota- 
tions.     If  an  entire  sentence  is  given  as  an  example,  it 
should  commence  with  a  capital.     When  disconnected  words 
are  given,  small  letters  may  be  used,  unless  the  words  them- 
selves require  capitals. 

RULE  XII.  Resolutions — In  writing  resolu- 
tions, the  word  immediately  following  Resolved, 
should  commence  with  a  capital. 

EXAMPLE. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  Declaration,  passed  on  the 
fourth,  be  fairly  engrossed  on  parchment,  with  the 
title  and  style  of  '  The  Unanimous  Declaration  of 
the  Thirteen  United  States  of  America;'  and  that 
the  same,  when  engrossed,  be  signed  by  every 
member  of  Congress." 

REMARK. 

Resolved  commences  with  a  capital  in  resolutions,  and  a 
comma  immediately  precedes  That. 

RULE  XIII.  Special  Words — Words  used  in 
a  special  sense,  or  of  special  importance,  commence 
with  capitals. 


67 
EXAMPLES. 

"As  nowadays  we  build  monuments  to  great 
men,  so  in  the  Middle  Ages  they  built  shrines  or 
chapels  on  the  spots  which  saints  had  made  holy." 
— Froude. 

"  The  Reformation  broke  the  theological  shackles 
in  which  men's  minds  were  fettered." — Froude. 

"  That  Popularity  is  alone  valuable  and  enduring 
which  follows  you,  not  that  which  you  run  after." 
— Lord  Mansfield. 

REMARK. 

Although  it  is  the  universal  custom  to  capitalize  a  word 
when  used  in  a  special  sense  to  mark  an  important  period  or 
event  in  history,  there  is  another  class  of  words  to  which 
writers  assign  a  special  importance,  the  capitalization  of 
which  must  necessarily  be  left  to  the  judgment  and  taste  of 
each  writer.  It  should,  however,  be  remembered  that  an 
injudicious  or  too  frequent  use  of  capitals  lessens  their  value 
and  force,  and  disfigures  a  written  or  printed  page. 

RULE  XIV.  Words  Personified.— When  things 
without  life  are  represented  as  persons,  they  may 
commence  with  capitals. 

EXAMPLE. 

"  Father  Time  is  not  always  a  hard  parent,  and 
though  he  tarries  for  none  of  his  children,  he  often 
lays  his  hand  lightly  upon  those  who  have  used 
him  well;  making  them  old  men  and  women 
inexorably  enough,  but  leaving  their  hearts  and 


68 

spirits  young  and  in  full  vigor.  With  such  people 
the  gray  head  is  but  the  impression  of  the  old  fel- 
low's hand  in  giving  them  a  blessing,  and  every 
wrinkle  but  a  notch  in  the  quiet  calendar  of  a 
well-spent  life." — Dickens. 

REMARK. 

Care  should  be  taken  not  to  carry  this  rule  to  an  excess. 
Unless  the  personification  is  vivid  and  emphatic,  use  small 
letters;  as, — 

"  Many  a  daylight  dawned  and  darkened, 
Many  a  night  shook  off  the  daylight 
As  the  pine  shakes  off  the  snow-flakes 
From  the  midnight  of  its  branches." — Longjellow. 

RULE  XV.  I  and  O. — The  pronoun  /and  the 
interjection  O  should  always  be  written  with  capi- 
tals. 

EXAMPLES. 

"  True  faith,  I  tell  thee, 
Must  ever  be  the  dearest  friend  to  man : 
His  nature  prompts  him  to  assert  its  rights." — Schiller. 

"As  wise  as  when  I  went  to  school." — Goeth. 
"O  day!  O  day!  O  day!  O  hateful  day! 
Never  was  seen  so  black  a  day  as  this." — Shakespeare. 

RULE  XVI.  References In  referring  to  pas- 
sages in  books,  numbers  are  sometimes  represented 
by  capital  letters. 

EXAMPLES. 

Irving's  "  Life  of  Washington,"  vol.  III.  p.  77. 

Mommsen's  "  History  of  Rome,"  vol.  IV.  p.  18. 


69 
REMARKS. 

1.  Some  commence  volume  and  chapter  with  a  capital, 
but  this  is  not  the  usual  custom. 

2.  The  volume,  chapter,  and  page  may  be  given,  but  the 
volume  and  page  are  sufficient. 

3.  In  referring  to  passages  in  the  Bible,  the  chapter  and 
verse  are  given;  as  Luke,  chap.  ix.  15.     It  is  the  usual  cus- 
tom to  omit  the  word  chapter,  the  letters  representing  the 
chapter ;  and  the  number,  the  verse ;   as,  "  It  may  be  fit  to 

^remember  that  Moses,  Lev.  xi.  9,  Deut.  xiv.  9,  appointed  fish 
to  be  the  chief  diet  of  the  best  commonwealth  that  ever  yet 
was." — Izaak  Walton. 

RULE  XVII.  Divisions  of  a  Statement.— -When 
a  general  statement  is  divided  into  separate  and 
distinct  parts,  it  is  better  to  commence  each  division 
with  a  capital,  even  when  they  do  not  form  com- 
plete sentences,  and  are  not  separated  from  each 
other  by  a  period.  This  is  especially  the  case 
when  the  divisions  are  numbered. 

EXAMPLE. 

"  The  history  of  the  normal  development  of  the 
individual  has  its  counterpart  in  the  history  01 
humanity.  There  is,  i.  The  age  of  popular  and 
unconscious  morality;  2.  The  transitional,  skepti- 
cal, or  sophistical  age;  and  3.  The  philosophic  or 
conscious  age  of  morality." 


REMARKS. 

1.  When  each  division  commences  with  a  capital  and  is 
also  numbered,  they  will  be  more  readily  recognized  and 
understood. 

2.  Some  writers  number  the  divisions,  but  do  not  com- 
mence them  with  capitals ;  as,  "The  teaching  of  composition 
requires,  (i)  a  cultivation  of  thought;  and  (2)  a  cultivation 
of  the  faculty  of  expression."  It  is  better  to  commence  each 
division  with  a  capital. 

3.  When  a  sentence  is  broken  off  to  commence  a  new 
line,  in  order  to  give  special  prominence  to  a  statement,  or 
to  attract  attention,  a  capital  should  be  used ;  as, — 

I  am,  dear  Mother, 

Your  dutiful  son, 

Sam.  Johnson. 


INTRODUCTION. 


In  writing  letters,  or  in  preparing  anything  for 
the  press,  care  should  be  taken  to  write  a  plain, 
readable  hand.  Many  a  valuable  position  has  been 
lost  because  of  poor  penmanship,  and  many  worthy 
productions  have  been  thrown  into  the  waste- 
basket,  because  they  have  been  poorly  written. 
Men  of  distinction  can  afford  to  write  a  poor  hand, 
to  the  inconvenience  of  friends,  and  the  trouble  of 
printers,  but,  as  a  general  rule,  a  poor  writer  labors 
under  a  great  disadvantage. 

The  following  facts  should  be  remembered  in 
writing  letters : — 

1.  A  letter  should  not  be  written  on  half  a  sheet 
of  paper,  unless  it  is  a  business  letter. 

2.  Business  letters  should  be  as  brief  as  clearness 
will  permit. 

3.  It  is  never  allowable  to  write  across  a  written 
page. 

4.  All  unnecessary  flourishes  should  be  avoided. 

5.  Black  ink  is  preferable,  and  it  is  more  durable 
than  any  other. 


73 


THE  ADDRESS. 


INTRODUCTORY    REMARK. 

The  most  important  part  of  letter-writing  is  to 
properly  direct  a  letter.  During  the  past  year, 
/nearly  4,000,000  letters  found  their  way  to  the 
Dead  Letter  Office,  67,000  of  which  were  misdi- 
rected. When  we  consider  the  loss  to  business 
firms  in  not  promptly  receiving  important  letters, 
the  anxiety  to  friends  and  relatives  in  the  delay  of 
expected  letters,  the  expense  to  the  government  in 
sending  them  to  the  Dead  Letter  Office,  and  in 
handling  and  returning  them  to  the  writers,  the 
proper  direction  of  a  letter  becomes  a  matter  of 
very  serious  importance. 

Definition. — The  address  consists  of  the  title  and 
name  of  the  person  to  whom  the  letter  is  written, 
the  city  and  the  state  in  which  he  lives;  as, — 
Mr.  William  K.  Bixby, 

Houston, 

Texas. 
REMARKS. 

1.  Care  should  be  taken  to  write  the  address  in  a  clear, 
bold  hand. 

2.  The  usual  titles  are  Mr.,  Mrs.,  Miss,  and  Master.    The 
last  title  is  used  in  addressing  a  boy. 


74 

3-  Esq.  is  sometimes  placed  after  the  name,  instead  of  plac- 
ing Mr.  before.  It  is  used  more  especially  with  the  names  of 
lawyers,  artists,  and  men  of  social  position.  When  Esq.  is 
used,  never  use  Mr. 

Position. — The  title  and  name  should  be  written 
about  the  middle  of  the  envelope,  beginning  on  the 
left.  Below  the  title  and  name,  and  farther  to  the 
right,  should  be  written  the  city ;  below  the  city, 
the  state. 

REMARKS. 

1.  It  is  customary  to  abbreviate  the  name  of  the  state. 
Great  care,  however,  should  be  taken  to  properly  abbreviate 
the  word.     Some  abbreviations  are  so  similar  to  each  other 
that  mistakes  frequently  arise: 

2.  The  address  should  never  be  written  diagonally. 

Punctuation. — A  comma  should  be  placed  after 
the  name  of  the  person,  and  after  the  name  of  the 
city.  A  period  should  be  placed  at  the  end. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Mr.,  Mrs.,  Esq.,  Rev.,  Dr.,  Prof.,  Pres.,  Capt,  &c.,  are  all 
abbreviations,  and  consequently  the  abbreviations  should  be 
indicated  by  a  period.     Miss  is  not  an  abbreviation,  and  thus 
requires  no  mark  after  it.     Messrs,  is  also  an  abbreviation. 
It  is  used  in  addressing  a  firm,  but  it  is  frequently  omitted. 

2.  If  any  part  of  a  person's  name  is  abbreviated,  a  period 
should  always  be  used  to  indicate  the  abbreviation ;  as,  John 
S.  C.  Abbott.    The  S.  and  C.  without  a  period  really  mean 
nothing. 


75 

3-  Some  place  a  comma  between  the  parts  of  a  person's 
name.  This,  of  course,  is  incorrect.  See  p.  16  d. 

4.  All  the  words  in  the  address  should  be  capitalized,  ex- 
cept prepositions  and  articles. 

Honorary  Titles. — It  is  customary  to  give  the 
professional  title  or  titles  of  the  person  to  whom 
a  letter  is  directed,  and  if  he  occupies  some  respon- 
sible position,  this  also  should  be  indicated  in  the 
^address;  as, — 

Rev.  E.  O.  Haven,  D.D.,  LL.D., 
Chancellor  of  Syracuse  University, 

Syracuse, 

N.  Y. 
REMARKS. 

1.  Honorary  titles  should  be  given  for  two  reasons: — 

(a)  As  a  mark  of  respect. 

(b)  The    address   will  be   more  readily  recognized   by 
postmasters,  and  the  letter   will  be   more  likely  to 
reach  its  destination  without  delay. 

2.  When  titles  are  written  after  a  person's  name,  a  comma 
should  be  placed  after  each  title,  for  the  reason  that  a  comma 
would  be  necessary,  if  the  title  was  written  out  in  full ;  as, 
A.  M.,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

3.  Some  writers  make  the  mistake  of  placing  a  period  after 
the  first  L  in  LL.D.     This  title  stands  for  Doctor  of  Laws, 
the  LL.  indicating  the  plural  of  Law.     As  the  two  letters 
stand  for  one  word,  the  period  must  necessarily  be  placed 
after  the  second  L. 

4.  Hon.  applies  to  judges,  senators,  representatives,  heads 
of  government  departments,  mayors,  and  others  of  similar 
rank ;  as,  Hon.  Thomas  M.  Cooley. 


76 

5.  His  Excellency  applies  to  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  an  Ambassador  of  the   United  States,  or  the  Gov- 
ernor of  a  State.     This  title  should  be  written  on  a  line  by 
itself;  as, — 

His  Excellency, 

Gov.  C.  M.  Croswell, 
Adrian, 
Mich. 

6.  In  addressing  a  married  lady,  the  professional  title  of 
her  husband  is  sometimes  used ;  as,  Mrs.  Dr.  Haven. 

7.  Two  professional  titles  meaning  the  same  thing  should 
never  be  used ;  as,  Dr.  A.  D.  Smith,  M.  D. 

Large  Cities. — When  the  person  to  whom  the 
letter  is  addressed,  lives  in  a  large  city  where  let- 
ters are  delivered  at  places  of  business  or  private 
residences,  the  title  and  name,  number  of  house  and 
street,  the  city,  and  state  should  be  given ;  as,— 
A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co., 

34  and  36  Madison  St., 

Chicago. 

111. 
REMARKS. 

1.  The  title  and  name  should  be  written  first,  the  number 
and  street  to  the  right  and  a  little  below,  the  city  below  the 
name  of  the  street,  and  the  state  under  the  city. 

2.  The  name  of  the  state  might  be  omitted  in  the  address 
above  given.     It  is  not  really  necessary  to  give  the  state, 
when  the  city  is  so  widely  known  that  no  mistake  can  arise, 
if  the  name  of  the  state  is  omitted ;  as,  New  York,  Philadel- 
phia, Boston. 


77 

Small  Tovuns  and  Villages — The  name  of  the 
county  in  which  a  small  town  or  village  is  located, 
should  always  be  given  in  the  address.  If  the  per- 
son to  whom  the  letter  is  written,  lives  in  the  coun- 
try, the  nearest  post-office  must  be  given,  together 
with  the  county  and  state.  The  name  of  the  place 
in  which  a  person  lives,  and  his  post-office  address, 
may  be  two  very  different  things. 

Mr.  George  Harvey, 
Palmyra, 

Lenawee  Co., 

Mich. 
REMARKS. 

1.  The  title  and  name  should  be  written  first;  the  town, 
village,  or  post-office,  second ;  the  county,  third ;  the  state 
last. 

2.  Sometimes  letters  are  detained  at  post-offices,  by  reason 
of  the  directions  not  being  sufficiently  complete. 

Addressed  Envelopes. — It  is  the  custom  with 
business  firms,  when  an  answer  to  a  letter  is  asked 
as  a  favor,  to  send,  within  the  letter,  a  stamped  en- 
velope properly  addressed.  The  address  is  usually 
printed,  so  that  no  mistake  can  be  made.  In  all 
cases,  even  when  an  addressed  envelope  is  not  re- 
quired, when  a  favor  is  asked  from  an  acquaintance 
or  a  friend,  and  an  answer  is  desired,  a  postage  stamp 
should  always  be  inclosed.  It  is  certainly  an  un- 
pardonable presumption  to  ask  even  a  friend  to 


78 

write  a  letter  for  a  particular  purpose,  and  expect 
him  to  pay  for  its  proper  delivery. 

Letters  with  Special  Request. — Sometimes  direc- 
tions are  written  or  printed  on  envelopes  as  to  the 
disposal  of  letters,  if  not  called  for  within  a  certain 
time.  This  should  always  be  done  when  address- 
ing business  letters.  These  directions  are  written 
or  printed  on  the  left  of  the  envelope,  near  the  top. 
See  form  on  p.  Si, 

The  Stamp. — The  stamp  should  be  placed  in  the 
right-hand  corner  of  the  envelope,  near  the  top.  It 
seems  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  every  letter 
should  be  properly  stamped,  and  yet  between  three 
and  four  hundred  thousand  letters  are  annually  sent 
to  the  Dead  Letter  Office,  because  the  writers  had 
forgotten  to  properly  stamp  them. 


FORMS  OF  ADDRESS. 


WiMiam  $.  . 

O/ff 

ton, 


79 


,  ff.  ST., 

(j/iancellob 


ffecbedatu  cd  &4a4e, 

/    o 


on, 


8o 


Mic 


Clf 


(Cleveland, 


W.  (jatie, 

oj  @/.  &. 


8i 


%nie 

v 

""ebanon, 

Vt&on  $>., 


am 


If  not  called  for  in  10  days,  return  to 

A.  S.  BARNES  &  Co., 

34  &  36  Madison  Street^ 

CHICAGO. 


fi  Claude  Weavel, 

/<>'j 
(giiy. 


A  letter  of  Introduction  should  be  left  unsealed. 


Jfilobe 


nce 


When  a  letter  is  intrusted  to  an  acquaintance  or  to  a 
friend  for  delivery,  it  should  not  be  sealed. 


LETTER-FORMS. 


I.     Adrian,  Mich.,  Nov.  6,  1877. 

n  j  Mr.  William  K.  Bixby, 
)  Houston,  Texas. 

III.     Dear  Sir,— 

IV.     Your  favor         * 


v  J  VeiT  truly> 

*  I  Joseph  M.  Blain. 


In  the  letter-form  above  given,  there  are  five 
parts  to  be  considered  : — 

I.     THE  HEADING. 
II.     THE  ADDRESS. 

III.  INTRODUCTORY  WORDS. 

IV.  THE  BODY  OF  THE  LETTER. 
V.     THE  CONCLUSION. 

I.    THE  HEADING. 

Definition* — The  heading  consists  of  the  name 
of  the  city  in  which  the  writer  lives,  the  state,  the 
month,  the  day  of  the  month,  and  the  year;  as, — 
Adrian.  Mich.,  Nov.  6,  1877. 


REMARKS. 

1.  Great  care  should  always  be  taken  to  give  in  the  head- 
ing, not  only  the  city,  but  also  the  state.     If  the  letter  should 
be  sent  to  the  Dead  Letter  Office,  the  heading  will  properly 
indicate  the  place  to  which  the  letter  is  to  be  returned. 

2.  The  heading  indicates  to  the  person  who  receives  the 
letter  where  an  answer  is  to  be  sent. 

3.  Sometimes  the  day  of  the  week  is  given ;  as,  Adrian, 
Monday,  Nov.  5,  1877. 

Punctuation. — A  comma  should  be  placed  after 
the  city,  state,  and  date.  A  period  should  be 
placed  at  the  end.  If  a  word  is  abbreviated,  a 
period  should  be  used  to  indicate  the  abbreviation, 
and  a  comma  should  also  be  used,  if  the  word  writ- 
ten out  in  full  would  require  a  comma ;  as, — 

Adrian,  Michigan,  November  6,  1877. 
Adrian,  Mich.,  Nov.  6,  1877. 

REMARKS. 

1 .  Some  writers  thoughtlessly  place  a  comma  between  the 
name  of  the  month  and  the  day  of  the  month ;  as,  Novem- 
ber, 6,  or  Nov.,  6.     The  6  forms  an  essential  part  of  the 
month,  and  should  not  be  separated  from  it  by  a  punctua- 
tion mark. 

2.  It  is  better  to  omit  st,  th,  or  d  after  the  number  indicat- 
ing the  day  of  the  month.     It  certainly  looks  neater  to  write 
the  date  without  the  marks  and  dots  that  sometimes  disfig- 
ure the  heading  ot  letters. 

3.  Some  prefer  to  place  the  number  before  the  name  of 
the  month;  as,  Adrian,  Mich., 6  Nov.,  1877.    This, however, 
is  not  the  usual  practice. 


85 

Large  Cities. — In  large  cities  where  letters  are 
delivered  by  letter-carriers,  it  is  necessary  to  give, 
in  the  heading  of  a  letter,  the  number  of  the  house 
and  the  name  of  the  street.  The  order  should  be 
number,  street,  city,  state,  month,  day  of  the  month, 
year;  as, — 

215  Prospect  St.,  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
March  5,  1877. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Sometimes  the  size  of  the  paper  necessitates  the  use  of 
three  lines  for  the  heading.     If  this  should  be  necessary,  the 
number  of  the  house  and  the  name  of  the  street  should  be 
on  the  first  line;    the  city   and  state,  on   the  second;   the 
month,  the  day  of  the  month,  and  year,  on  the  third.     Each 
line  should  commence  farther  to  the  right  than  the  preced- 
ing; as,— 

215  Prospect  St., 

Cleveland,  Ohio, 
March  5,  1877. 

2.  As  few  lines  as  possible  should  be  used  in  the  heading. 
In  sending  letters  from  well  known  cities  like  New  York, 
Philadelphia,  &c.,  it  is  not  necessary  to  give  the  state.    When 
the  name  of  the  state  is  omitted,  the  heading  can  usually  be 
written  on  two  lines. 

3.  A  period  should  be  placed  after  St.,  because  it  is  an 
abbreviation.     A  comma  should  also  follow  the  period,  be- 
cause the  word  written  in  full  would  require  a  comma.     215 
Prospect  St.,  is  one  item ;  Cleveland,  a  second ;  Ohio,  a  third ; 
March  5,  a  fourth;  1877,  a  fifth. 


86 

A  Small  Town  or  Village. — If  the  place  in 
which  the  writer  lives,  is  a  small  town  or  village, 

7  O       7 

the  name  of  the  place,  county,  and  state  should  be 
given;  as,— 

Palmyra,  Lenawee  Co.,  Mich., 
Sept.  13,  1877. 

REMARKS 

1.  The  county  should  be  given  so  that  an  answer  to  the 
letter  may  be  properly  directed. 

2.  If  the  writer  lives  in  the  country,  the  post-office  where 
his  letters  are  received,  should  be  given,  and  not  the  place 
where  he  lives. 

Hotels When  a  letter  is  written  at  some  prom- 
inent hotel,  it  is  customary  to  give  the  name  of  the 
hotel  in  the  heading;  as, — 

Grand  Central  Hotel,  New  York, 
Jan.  10,  1877. 

Seminaries  and  Colleges.— -In  writing  from  a 
seminary,  college,  or  university,  the  name  of  the 
institution  is  sometimes  given;  as, — 

Female  Seminary,  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
April  n,  1877. 

Position The  heading  should  be  written  on  the 

first  line,  on  the  right  hand,  commencing  about  the 
middle  of  the  line.     If  more  than  one  line  is  re- 


87 

quired,  the  second  line  should  commence  farther  to 
the  right  than  the  first,  and  the  third  than  the 
second. 

REMARKS. 

1.  When  a  letter  does  not  fill  a  full  page,  the  heading 
should  not  be  written  on  the  first  line.    The  space  at  the 
head  of  the  letter  should  be  about  the  same  as  at  the  bottom. 
In  business  letters,  this  is  not  necessary. 

2.  Some  write  the  city,  state,  month,  &c.,  at  the  close  of  a 
letter.    This  is  not  however,  the  usual  form. 


I.     THE  ADDRESS. 

Definition. — The  address  in  the  inside  of  a  letter 
should  be  the  same  as  the  address  on  the  envelope. 
It  consists  of  the  title  and  name  of  the  person  to 
whom  the  letter  is  written,  and  the  place  of  his  res- 
idence; as, — 

Mr.  William  K.  Bixby, 

Houston,  Texas. 

REMARKS. 

There  are  several  reasons  why  the  address  should  be  writ- 
ten within  the  letter : — 

i.  Business  men  usually  take  an  impression  or  make  a 
copy  of  all  letters  written  by  themselves  or  their  agents.  It 
is  a  great  convenience  to  have  the  address  within  the  letter, 
so  that  it  can  be  referred  to,  if  necessary,  at  any  time. 


2.  If  the  envelope  is  accidentally  torn  off,  or  is  lost  by  not 
being  properly  sealed,  the  letter  can  still  be  forwarded  to  its 
destination,  if  the  address  is  written  within. 

3.  It  is  frequently  the  habit,  on  receiving  a  letter,  to  de- 
stroy the  envelope.     Sometimes,  after  the  envelope  is  de- 
stroyed, the  letter  is  lost.     If  there  is  an  inside  address,  the 
letter,  if  found,  can  be  returned. 

Punctuation. — A  comma  should  be  placed  after 
the  name  of  the  person  and  of  the  city.  A  period 
should  be  placed  at  the  end. 

REMARKS. 

1.  By  placing  to  before  the  address,  it  will  be  seen  that  a 
period  is  required  at  its  close,  just  as  a  period  is  required  at 
the  end  of  the  address  on  the  envelope ;  as,  To  William  K. 
Bixby,  Houston,  Texas. 

2.  Some  writers  place  a  colon  after  the  name  of  the  state, 
but  the  practice  is  not  a  correct  one.     A  semicolon  should 
never  be  used. 

Large  Cities.  When  the  person  to  whom  the  let- 
ter is  written,  lives  in  a  large  city,  the  number  and 
name  of  the  street  should  be  given,  as  on  the  out- 
side address;  as, — 

A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co., 

34  and  36  Madison  St.,  Chicago. 

REMARK. 

If  three  lines  are  necessary,  the  title  and  name  should  be 
on  the  first  line,  the  number  and  street  on  the  second,  the 
city  and  state  on  the  third. 


89 

Small  Towns  and  Villages.— When,  the  letter 
is  addressed  to  a  small  town  or  village,  the  county 
in  which  the  town  or  village  is  situated,  should  be 
given;  as, — 

Mr.  George  Harvey, 

Palmyra,  Lenawee  Co.,  Mich. 

REMARK. 

/    The  title  and  name  should  be  on  one  line;  the  town  or 
village,  county,  and  state  should  be  on  the  second. 

Letters  to  Intimate  Friends  or  Relatives. -In  writ- 
ing letters  to  intimate  friends  or  relatives,  the  address 
should  be  written  at  the  close  of  the  letter,  at  the 
left,  commencing  on  the  line  immediately  follow- 
ing the  signature.  It  would  be  too  formal  to  write 
the  address  at  the  head  of  the  letter,  and  it  would 
not  be  in  keeping  with  the  introductory  words 
which  immediately  follow;  as, — 

Milburn  Wagon  Works,  Toledo,  Ohio, 
Nov.  2,  1877. 

Dear  Mother, — 

Your  letter         *         *  * 


Very  affectionately, 

Edgar  W.  Curtis. 
Mrs.  James  E.  Curtis, 
Adrian,  Mich. 


90 

REMARK. 

When  the  heading  occupies  only  one  line,  it  is  better  to 
leave  a  blank  line  between  the  heading  and  the  address. 

Position. — The  address  should  commence  on  the 
left,  and  should  be  written  on,  at  least,  two  lines. 
The  title  and  name  should  be  on  one  line;  the  city 
and  state,  on  the  second,  and  farther  to  the  right. 
The  address,  if  possible,  should  be  written  on  two 
lines.  If  the  heading  consists  of  two  or  three  lines, 
the  address  should  commence  on  the  line  immediately 
following  the  heading.  If  the  heading  consists  of 
one  line  only,  a  blank  line  should  be  left  between 
the  heading:  and  the  address. 


III.     INTRODUCTORY  WORDS. 

Definition. — The  introductory  words  consist  of 
the  greeting  or  salutation;  as, — 
Dear  Sir, — 

REMARKS. 

1.  Sometimes  only  one  word  is  used  in  the  greeting;  as, 
Sir,  Gentlemen. 

2.  When  Sir,  Gentlemen,  Friend,  Father,  &c.,  are  used  as 
introductory  words,  they  should  always  commence  with  a 
capital,  as  a  mark  of  respect.     In  greeting  friends  or  rela- 
tives, do  not  belittle  them  with  small  letters. 

3.  When  dear,  respected,  honored,  and  words  of  a  like 
character,  are  not  the  first  words  of  the  salutation,  they 


should  commence  with  a  small  letter;  as,  My  dear  Sir,  My 
respected  Friend.  If  they  commence  the  salutation,  capitals 
should  be  used ;  as,  Dear  Father,  Respected  Friend. 

Punctuation. — A  comma  should  be  placed  after 
the  salutation,  and  a  dash  may  also  be  used.  The 
use  of  the  dash,  however,  is  simply  a  matter  of 
taste. 

REMARKS. 

1.  A  colon  should  not  be  placed  after  the  greeting,  except 
in  official  or  very  formal  salutations.     See  p.  100. 

2.  A  semicolon  should  never  be  used. 

Position. — The  introductory  words  may  be  writ- 
ten in  three  different  positions : — 

1.  When  the  address  occupies  two  lines,  the  sal- 
utation should  be  written  on  the  line   immediately 
following,  commencing  a  little  to  the  right  of  the 
second  line  of  the  address ;  as, 

Mr.  Harry  B.  Hutchins, 

Mt.  Clemens,  Mich. 
Dear  Sir, — 

2.  If  the  address  consists  of  three  lines,  the  first 
word  of  the  salutation  commences  on  a  line  with 
the  number  of  the  street ;  as, — 

A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co., 

34  and  36  Madison  St., 

Chicago. 
Gentlemen, — 


92 

3-  If  the  address  is  written  at  the  close  of  the 
letter,  the  introductory  words  should  commence  on 
a  line  with  the  body  of  the  letter,  that  is,  with  the 
marginal  line;  as, — 

Dear  Manning, — 

Rest  you  merry  in  your  own  opin- 
ion. Opinion  is  a  species  of  property ;  and  though 
I  am  always  desirous  to  share  with  my  friend  to 
k:  certain  extent,  I  shall  ever  like  to  keep  some 

tenets,  and  some  property,  properly  my  own.      * 
*         *         #         # 

Your  well-wisher  and  friend, 
C.  Lamb. 

forms  of  Salutation Custom    authorizes  the 

use  of  several   forms  of  salutation.     These    may 
be  arranged  under  four  heads : — 

1.  To  Strangers. 

<_> 

Sir,  Madame,  Miss  — . 

2.  To  Acquaintances. 

Dear  Sir,  Dear  Madame,  Dear  Miss  — 
My  dear  Sir,  My  dear   Madame,  My  dear 

Miss  — ,  imply   a  better  acquaintance  than  Dear 

Sir,  &c. 

3.  To  Friends  or  Relatives. 

Dear  Friend,  My  dear  Father,  Dear  Henry,  &c. 

4.  To  Business  Firms  or  Corporate  Bodies. 

Sirs,  Gentlemen,  Ladies. 


93 

Salutations  to    Young  Ladies Owing  to  the 

fact  that  we  have  no  word  corresponding  to  Sir 
that  can  be  used  in  addressing  young  ladies,  there 
is  sometimes  an  uncertainty  as  to  the  proper  salu- 
tation to  be  used.  Although  Madame  may  refer 
to  a  married  or  an  unmarried  lady,  it  is  not  an 
appropriate  word  with  which  to  address  a  young 
lady.  There  are  three  forms  that  may  be  used: — 

i.   To  a  Stranger. 

Decatur,  111.,  May  6,  1877. 
Miss  Delia  L.  Corbus, — 


Respectfully, 

William  C.  Johns. 
Miss  Delia  L.  Corbus, 

Adrian,  Mich. 

The  name  is  given  as  the  salutation,  and  the  full  address 
is  given  at  the  close  of  the  letter. 

2.   To  an  Acquaintance. 

Adrian,  Mich.,  Sept.  3,  1877. 
Dear  Miss  Dewey,  — 


Very  truly, 

Thomas  M.  Hunter. 
Miss  Ella  Dewey, 

Hotel  Madison,  Toledo,  Ohio. 


94 

3-  To  an  Intimate  Friend. — In  writing  to  inti- 
mate friends,  the  character  of  the  letter,  and  the 
intimacy  of  the  writers,  will  suggest  the  proper 
forms. 

Salutations  to  Married  Ladies. 

1.  To  a  Stranger. 

Mrs.  J.  C.  Hill, 

Adrian,  Mich. 

Madame, — 

2.  To  an  Acquaintance. 
Mrs.  W.  S.  Sears, 

Adrian,  Mich. 

Dear  Madame, — 

3.  To  a  Friend. 

66  Summit  St.,  Toledo,  Ohio, 

Dec.  i,  1877. 
Dear  Mrs.  Millard, — 

****** 

Very  truly, 

Franklin  Hubbard. 
Mrs.  A.  L.  Millard, 

Adrian,  Mich. 


IV.     BODY  OF  THE  LETTER. 

The  First  Word. — The  first  word  should  com- 
mence on  the  line  immediately  following  the  intro- 


95 

ductory  words,  and  directly  under  the  comma  or 
the  dash  of  the  salutation;  as, — 
Dear  Sir, — 

Your  letter         ***** 

REMARK. 

Some  writers  commence  the  body  of  the  letter  on  the 
same  line  with  the  greeting. 

Margin. — It  is  the  usual  custom  to  leave  a  mar- 
gin on  the  left  of  a  written  page.  This  varies 
according  to  the  taste  of  the  writer  and  the  size  of 
the  page. 

Paragraphs. — A  new  paragraph  should  com- 
mence whenever  a  new  subject  is  introduced,  and, 
with  the  exception  of  the  first  paragraph,  which 
begins  directly  under  the  comma  or  the  dash  of  the 
salutation,  each  paragraph  should  commence  a  little 
to  the  right  of  the  marginal  line. 


V.     THE  CONCLUSION. 

Definition — The  conclusion  is  made  up  of  two 
parts,— words  of  respect  or  affection,  and  the  sig- 
nature of  the  writer;  as, — 

Very  truly, 

Joseph  M.  Blain. 


REMARKS. 

1.  Various  forms  of  respect  or  affection  are  used  in  con- 
cluding letters;  as,  Respectfully,  Most   respectfully,  Very 
affectionately,  &c. 

2.  In  using  words  of  respect  or  affection,  the  first  word 
only  should  be  capitalized.     In  the  salutation,  Sir,  Friend, 
&c.,  should  commence  with  a  capital,  as  a  mark  of  respect; 
but  in  the  conclusion  of  a  letter,  it  would,  to  say  the  least, 
be  in  bad  taste  to  give  the  same  prominence  to  one's  own 
worth. 

3.  The  conclusion  should  always  be  in  keeping  with  the 
introductory   words.     If  Sir  were  used  in  the  salutation,  it 
would  not  be  proper  to  use  Very  affectionately  at  the  close. 

4.  Although  custom  sanctions  the  use  of  Your  obedient 
servant,  Your  most  obedient  servant,  and  similar  forms,  the 
practice  is  not  to  be  commended.     These  expressions  are 
associated  with  a  past  age,  when   men   depended   on   the 
uncertain  patronage  of  the  great. 

Punctuation — A  comma  should  be  placed  after 
the  words  of  respect  and  affection,  and  a  period 
should  be  placed  at  the  end  of  the  signature. 

REMARK. 

There  is  great  carelessness  exhibited  by  all  writers  in 
punctuating  their  names.  A  period  should  always  be  placed 
at  the  end  of  the  signature,  to  indicate  that  the  signature  is 
complete.  If  the  different  parts  of  the  name  are  written  out 
in  full,  no  punctuation  marks  should  be  placed  between 
them ;  if,  however,  any  part  of  the  name  is  abbreviated,  a 
period  should  always  be  used  to  indicate  the  abbreviation ; 
as,  Ettie  Shier,  Laura  B.  Palmer,  Geo.  L.  Bennett. 


Position — The  conclusion  should  be  written  on, 
at  least,  two  lines.  The  words  of  respect  and 
affection  should  be  written  on  the  line  immediately 
following  the  close  of  the  letter,  on  the  right,  com- 
mencing near  the  middle  of  the  line ;  the  signature 
should  be  on  the  line  immediately  following  the 
words  of  respect  and  affection,  a  little  farther  to 
the  right. 

The  Signature. — In  signing  one's  name,  there 
are  several  important  facts  to  be  remembered : — 

1.  The  writer's  full  name  should  always  be  given, 
especially  in  business  letters  and  in  letters  contain- 
ing money,  so  that  the  letter  can  be  returned,  if,  for 
any   reason,  it  is  sent  to  the  Dead  Letter  Office. 
This,  of  course,  can  not  be  done  unless  the  writer's 
name   is   given   in  full.     Thousands  of  dollars  are 
lost  every   year  by  writers  thoughtlessly  signing' 
themselves  Nellie,  Fred.,  &c.     25,000  letters,  con- 
taining $1,301,780,  were  sent  to  the  Dead  Letter 
Office  in  the  year  1877. 

2.  A  lady,  in  writing  to  a  stranger,  should  always 
sign  her  name  so  that  the  person  receiving  the  let- 
ter will  know,  in  answering,  whether  to  address  a 
single  or  a  married  lady;  as,  Miss  Maria  S.  Colvin, 
Mrs.  David  Finley. 

3.  It  is  frequently  the  custom  for  married  ladies 
to  use  their  husband's  name;  as,  Mrs.  E.  B.  Pond. 
Widow  ladies  use  their  Christian  name. 


4.  If  the  person  writing  a  letter  to  a  stranger, 
occupies  a  responsible  or  official  position,  he  should 
give  this  in  connection  with  his  signature,  so  that 
the  person  to  whom  the  letter  is  written,  may  have 
some  means  of  knowing  how  much  attention  to 
give  to  the  letter. 


SUMMARY. 

I.  To  a  Relative. 

Ann  Arbor,  Mich.,  Nov.  15,  1877. 
Dear  Father, — 

Your  letter  *         *         *         '* 

********** 

Affectionately, 

James  A.  Stacy. 
C.  A.  Stacy,  Esq., 

Adrian,  Mich. 

II.  To  an  Intimate  Friend. 

The  form  of  a  letter  to  an  intimate  friend  should 
he  the  same  as  the  preceding  one. 
Salutation  to  a  married  lady,  p.  94. 

III.  To  an  Acquaintance. 

Bay  City,  Mich.,  Dec.  4,  1877. 
Mr.  Wm.  B.  Mumford, 

Adrian,  Mich. 

Dear  Sir, — 

Your  letter     *         * 
********** 

Very  truly, 

William  T.  Smalley. 


99 

1.  Salutation  to  a  married  lady,  p.  94. 

2.  Letter-form  to  a  young  lady,  p.  93. 

IV.  To  a  Stranger. 

The  same  form  should  be  used  as  to  an  acquaint- 
ance, with  the  exception  of  the  salutation,  which 
should  be  Sir,  Madame,  or  Miss — 

Letter-form  to  a  young  lady,  p.  93. 

V.  Letter  ivith  Number  and  Street. 

34  and  36  Madison  St.,  Chicago, 

Sept.  12,  1877. 
Mr.  Charles  Scribner, 
124  Grand  St,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Sir, — 

Your  favor         *         * 

*********** 
Respectfully, 

A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co. 

1.  For  another  form,  see  p.  91. 

2.  County  and  state,  pp.  86,  89. 

3.  Hotels,  pp.  86,  93. 

4.  Seminaries  and  colleges,  p.  86. 

VI.  Official  Letters. 

150  Summit  St.,  Toledo,  Ohio, 

Dec.  10,  1877. 
Hon.  Samuel  J.  Randall, 
Speaker  of  the  House, 

Washington,  D.  C- 
Sir: — 

*          *          ****** 

Very  respectfully, 

Fred.  L.  Geddes. 


100 

To  the  Common  Council  of  the  City  of  Adrian. 
Gentlemen : — 

Respectfully, 

W.  S.  Wilcox. 
For  the  use  of  the  colon,  see  p.  91,  Rem.  I. 


101 


INTRODUCTION. 


Most  business  men,  and  all  professional  men, 
have  occasion,  more  or  less,  to  have  something 
printed  for  their  own  use,  or  to  write  something  for 
the  public  press,  so  that  a  correct  knowledge  of 
some  of  the  simpler  marks  used  by  proof-readers, 
in  making  corrections  and  additions,  seems  imper- 
ative. The  advice  sometimes  given  to  allow  the 
printer  to  make  all  corrections,  since  he  is  more 
likely  to  know  what  corrections  are  necessary,  is 
destructive  to  a  clear  presentation  of  what  another 
has  written.  The  printer  may  understand  better 
than  the  writer  the  mechanical  part  of  his  work, 
but  "  mind  reading  "  has  not  yet  reached  such  per- 
fection that  the  compositor  can  tell,  in  all  instances, 
what  meaning  the  writer  really  wishes  to  convey, 
and  a  misconception  on  the  part  of  the  printer  may 
be  the  means  of  changing  the  sense  of  a  whole 
paragraph. 

In  preparing  anything  for  the  press,  a  few  facts 
should  be  remembered: — 

1.  It  is  never  allowable  to  write  on  both  sides  of 
a  sheet  of  paper.     Only  one  side  should  be  used, 
and  each  page  should  be  properly  numbered. 

2.  The  manuscript  should  be  prepared  with  great 


io3 

care.  It  should  be  properly  punctuated,  capital- 
ized, and  broken  into  paragraphs.  In  fact,  the 
copy  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  printer  should  be 
in  a  condition  to  be  exactly  reproduced.  Some 
expect  the  printer  to  dress  up  in  proper  form  their 
half  expressed,  poorly  written,  and  badly  punctua- 
ted sentences,  and  if  their  hieroglyphics  and  abbre- 
viations are  not  deciphered  to  suit  their  unreasona-  • 
ble  expectations,  they  rail  against  incompetent 
printers  and  blundering  proof-readers. 

3.  Some  writers  thoughtlessly  leave  many  points 
unsettled  in  the  manuscript,  so  as  to  see  "  how  they 
look  in  print,7'  then  fill  the  proof  with  numberless 
corrections  and  additions,  and  expect  the  printer  to 
make  such  changes  as  the  impulse  of  the  moment 
has  suggested.     This   is  certainly  a  great  injustice 
to  the  compositor,  who  usually  receives  no  remu- 
neration  for  this   additional   tax  on   his  time   and 
patience.     No  half  finished  manuscript  ought  to  be 
allowed  to  go  into  the  printer's  hand. 

4.  Whenever  it  is  really  necessary  to  strike  out 
several  words,  enough  words  should  be  substituted 
in  their  places  to  fill  the  vacant  spaces. 


io4 


DEFINITIONS. 

Copy. — This  word  really  means  something  to  be 
imitated,  and  it  is  used  by  printers  when  referring 
to  the  manuscript  of  a  writer. 

Proof-Sheet. — When  the  copy  is  set  up  in  type, 
an  impression  in  ink  is  taken  for  corrections.  This 
is  called  a  proof-sheet.  In  correcting  proof,  the 
first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  place  the  copy  in  the 
hands  of  some  one  to  read  aloud,  while  the  proof- 
reader pays  attention  principally  to  omissions,  the 
spelling  and  capitalization  of  words,  and  punctua- 
tion. After  this,  the  proof  should  be  carefully 
examined  to  detect  what  are  called  typographical 
errors,  that  is,  mistakes  in  type. 

Revise.— After  the  corrections  indicated  in  the 
proof  are  made,  another  impression  is  taken.  This 
is  called  the  revise.  The  revise  should  be  carefully 
compared  with  the  proof,  to  see  that  all  corrections 
are  made. 


INTRODUCTORY  REMARK. 

Mistakes  in  the  proof  should  be  called  attention 
to  by  certain  marks  which  will  hereafter  be  de- 
scribed, and  the  corrections  should  be  indicated  in 


the  margin,  on  the  right  or  left  of  the  line  in  which 
they  occur.  If  mistakes  are  found  near  the  begin- 
ning of  the  line,  the  corrections  should  be  placed 
in  the  margin  on  the  left,  otherwise  they  should  be 
placed  on  the  right.  The  numbers  in  the  follow- 
ing statements  refer  to  lines  of  the  specimen  proof- 
sheet  on  pages  in,  112. 

I.  Wrong  Letters  and  Punctuation  Marks — 
Tlie  most  common  mistakes  in  a  proof-sheet  are 
wrong  letters  and  punctuation  marks.  When  these 
are  noticed,  a  line  should  be  drawn  slopingly,  from 
right  to  left,  through  each,  and  the  correct  letter  or 
punctuation  mark  witten  in  the  margin.  It  is  bet- 
ter to  repeat  the  line  with  the  correction  in  the 
margin,  so  as  to  attract  attention  to  the  desired 
change;  as,  2,  4,  8.  A  sloping  line  should  always 
be  placed  between  corrections  opposite  the  same 
line,  and  the  corrections  should  be  placed  in  the 
order  in  which  they  occur. 

REMARKS. 

1.  The  correction  in  the  margin  should  always  be  placed 
to  the  left  of  the  sloping  line;  as,  2,  3,  4,  8. 

2.  The   period,   dash,    hyphen,    quotation    marks,  apos- 
trophe, and  reference  marks  should  be  distinguished  in   the 
margin,  thus: — 

©      ~t       l~l       v        v        v        v 

For  illustrations,  see  6,  10. 

3.  If  it  is  necessary  to  change  a  capital   letter  to  a  small 
letter,  draw  a  line  through  the  capital,  and  either  write  a 


io6 

small  letter  in  the  margin,  or  the  abbreviation  /.  <r.,  lower 
case,  which  indicates  that  a  common  letter  is  to  be  used ; 
as,  3. 

4.  The  abbreviation  tv.f.,  wrong  font,  indicates  that  a  let- 
ter is  of  improper  size. 

II.  Wrong"    Words. — When   an  entire   word  is 
incorrect,  a  straight  line  should  be  drawn  through  it, 
and  the  proper  word  written  in  the  margin;  as,  5. 

REMARK. 

When  it  is  necessary  to  change  a  word,  printed  in  capitals, 
to  small  letters,  draw  a  line  through  the  word,  and  write  /.  c. 
in  the  margin;  as,  16.  See  I.,  Rem.  3. 

III.  Omissions. — If  a  letter,  punctuation  mark, 
or  word  is  omitted,  the  omission  should  be  indicated 
by  a  caret,  and  the  omitted  letter,  punctuation  mark, 
or  word  placed  in  the  margin;  as,  3,  6. 

REMARKS. 

1.  When  the  period,  dash,  hyphen,   quotation  marks,  or 
reference  marks  are  omitted,  they  should  be  distinguished 
in  the  margin  as  in  I.,  Rem.  2. 

2.  A  sloping  line  should  always  be  made  in  the  margin, 
to  the  right  of  an  omitted  letter  or  punctuation  mark ;  as,  3. 

3.  If  several  words  or  lines  are  omitted,  it  is  sometimes 
necessary  to  write  the  words  at  the  top  or  bottom  of  the 
proof.     When  this  is  the  case,  a  line  should  be  drawn  from 
the  caret  to  the  words  to  be  inserted ;  as,  25. 

4.  Sometimes  so  much  has  been  omitted  that  it  is  neces- 
sary to  refer  to  the  copy.     When  this  is  so,  indicate  the 
omission  by  a  caret,  write  See  Copy  in  the  margin,  and  inclose 


within  parenthetical  marks  or  brackets  the  portion  of  the 
copy  to  be  inserted  in  the  proof. 

IV.  Inverted  Letter — When  a  letter  is  inverted, 
a  sloping  line  should  be  drawn  through  it,  and  the 
change  indicated  in  the  margin  by   9,    a  character 
resembling  an  inverted  6;  as,  13. 

REMARK. 

Some  proof-readers  draw  a  line  under  the  inverted  letter, 
but  this  is  not  so  easily  recognized  as  a  sloping  line  drawn 
through  the  letter. 

V.  Strike  Out. — It   is   sometimes   necessary  to 
strike  out  a  letter,  punctuation  mark,  or  word.     A 
line  should  be  drawn  through  each,  as  in  I.  and  II., 
and  the  sign  9^  which  means  strike  out,  placed  in 
the  margin;  as,  9,  19. 

VI.  Capitals  and  Italics. — Three  lines  drawn 
under  a  word  indicate  that  the  word   should  be 
printed  in  large  capitals;  two  lines,  small  capitals; 
one  line,   italics.      The    abbreviations,    Caps.,    S. 
Caps.,  Ital.,  should  also  be  written  in  the  margin ; 
as,  i,  2. 

REMARKS. 

1.  If  a  word  is  italicized,  and  it  is  desirable  to  change  it  to 
the  ordinary  type,  draw  a  line  under  it,  and  write  Rom.,  the 
abbreviation  for  Roman,  in  the  margin;  as,  15. 

2.  To  change  a  word  printed  in  capitals  to  small  letters, 
see  II.,  Rem. 


io8 

VII.  Spacing — When  there  is  too  great  a  space 
between  two  letters,  the  letters  should  be  connected 
by  the  marks  ^,  and  the  same  sign  should  be 
repeated  in  the  margin;  as,  21.     The  single  mark 
^,  connecting  two  words  and  repeated  in  the  mar- 
gin, indicates  too  great  a  space  between  words; 
as,  23. 

When  there  is  not  sufficient  space  between  two 
words,  a  caret  is  used  to  indicate  the  want  of  space, 
and  the  sign  #  written  in  the  margin;  as,  25. 
REMARKS. 

1.  When  there  is  not  space  enough  between  two  lines,  or 
there  is  too  much,  the  fact  can  be  indicated  as  in  7  and  8,  13 
and  14. 

2.  When  a  space  is  not  left  at  the  commencement  of  a 
paragraph,   a  caret   indicates  the  want  of  space,  and  the 
sign  Cj  is  placed  in  the  margin;  as,  17. 

VIII.  Paragraphs. — When  a  new  paragraph  is 
desired,  the  sign  [  should  be  inserted  in  the  proof, 
before  the  first  word  of  the  new  paragraph,  and 
the  sign*[[  should  be  placed  in  the  margin;  as,  10. 

When  two  paragraphs  are  to  be  run  together, 
they  should.be  connected  by  a  line,  and  No  \  writ- 
ten in  the  margin;  as,  24. 

REMARKS. 

1.  The  line  connecting  the  two  paragraphs  is  usually  so 
readily  recognized  that  an  additional  sign  in  the  margin  is 
not  always  required. 

2.  For  space  at  the  commencement  of  a  paragraph,  see 
VII.,  Rem.  2. 


109 

IX.  Correction  to  be  Disregarded. — Dots  placed 
under  a  word,  and  Stet.,  which  means  let  it  stand, 
written  in  the  margin,  indicate  that  a  correction  is 
to  be  disregarded;  as,  25. 

X.  Broken   Letters — When    it   is   necessary  to 
call  the  attention  of  the  printer  to  a  broken  letter, 
a  line  should  be  drawn   under  it,   and  the  sign    X 
placed  in  the  margin;  as,  21. 

REMARK. 

It  is  the  custom  with  some  proof-readers  to  draw  a  slop- 
ing line  through  the  broken  letter,  and  repeat  the  letter  in 
the  margin.  This  is  sometimes  a  great  convenience  to  the 
printer,  especially  when  the  letter  is  so  badly  injured  that  it 
can  not  be  recognized;  for,  unless  the  printer  is  familiar 
with  the  spelling  of  the  word,  it  may  be  necessary,  with 
considerable  inconvenience,  to  refer  to  the  copy. 

XI.  Transpose. — When  two  words  should  change 
places,  the  custom  is  to  draw   a  line  over  the  first, 
continue  it    under  the  second,  and  write  //-.,  the 
abbreviation  for  transpose,  in  the  margin;  as,  26. 

REMARKS. 

1.  When  several  letters  in  a  word  are  not  in  their  proper 
order,  either  draw  a  line  through  the  word  and  rewrite  it  in 
the  margin,  or  draw  a  line  under  or  through  the  letters,  and 
write  them  in  their  proper  order. 

2.  When  the  order  of  several  words  is  to  be  changed,  indi- 
cate the  proper  order  by  placing   i,  2,  3,  4,  &c.,  over  the 
words,  draw  a  straight  line  under  each,  and  write  tr.  in  the 
margin. 


XII.  Crooked    Words When  the  letters  of  a 

word  are  displaced,  draw  a  line  above  and  below 
the  word,  and  repeat  the  lines  in  the  margin;  as, 
28.     The  same  marks  are  used  to  call  attention  to 
a  crooked  line. 

XIII.  Projecting  Leads — When  a  lead  pro- 
jects so  as  to  leave  an  impression  on  the  proof,  a 
sloping  line  should  be  drawn   through  it,  and  the 
sign    I    or  J^  placed  in  the  margin;  as,  22. 

XIV.  Diphthongs. — When  cz  and  ce  should  be 
printed    as  diphthongs,    a  line  should    be  drawn 
through  them,  and  the  letters  forming  the  diphthong 
written  in  the  margin  thus,  se,  62. 

X  V.  Mark  of  Attention — The  sign  +  is  some- 
times used  to  call  the  attention  of  the  printer  to 
some  defect  in  a  word  or  line. 

GENERAL  REMARK. 

It  is  the  custom  with  many  proof-readers  to  draw 
a  line  from  the  mistake  in  the  proof  to  the  correc- 
tion in  the  margin.  This  should  always  be  done 
when  the  mistakes  are  numerous,  or  the  lines 
crowded  together. 


Ill 


Description  of  a  Palace  in  a  Valley. 


Ye  who  listen  with  credulety  to  the   if  * 

3  II    whispers  of^ancy   and  pursue  with  f  I  3 

4  a  I    egerness  the  phantoms  of  hope,  who    .  /  4 
wilt   expect    that    age  --shall-  perform    the  5 

6  oj   promises,  youth,    and  that    the    defiA  /-/ 

7  ciencies    of    the   present  day  will   be     /      /      7 
s           ij    supplied  hy  the  morrow,  attend   to 

9                  the   history   of   Rasselass,  prince   of    9*  9 

1°          O    Abyssinia^  [Rasselas  was  the  fourth    11  i» 

ii                 son  of  the  mighty  emperor,  in  whose  „ 

a                dominions  the    father  of  waters  be-  ja 

13         ^     gins  his  course;  w^ose  bounty  pours  M 

-V  lend. 

H                 down   the    streams    of    plenty,    and  ,4 

»s    ®&>m.    scatters  over  /lalfthe  world  the  bar-  15 

'6      /.  c.    vest  of  EGYPT.  l6 

'7       LJ      The   place    which    the    wisdom    or  17 

lS                 policy  of  antiquity  had  destined  for  ,8 
the  -the-  residence   of  the   Abyssinian 


,9 


princes,  was  a  spacious  valley  in  the 
X  kingdom  of  Amj^ara,  suFrounded  on 
every  side  by  mountains,  of  which 
the  summits  overhung  s^  the  middle 
part. 


The    only    passage   by   which   it 


-ee«ld-  be  entered,  was    a   cavern^of 

A 

which    it    has    been  \long) /disputed  26 

whether  it  was  the  work /of  nature  2; 


2S 


or  of  human  industry. 

DR.  JOHNSON. 


DESCRIPTION    OF     A    PAL- 
ACE   IN   A    VALLEY. 


YE  who  listen  with  credulity  to  the 
whispers  of  fancy,  and  pursue  with 
eagerness  the  phantoms  of  hope; 
who  expect  that  age  will  perform  the 
promises  of  youth,  and  that  the  de- 
ficiencies of  the  present  day  will  be 
supplied  by  the  morrow,  attend  to 
the  history  of  Rasselas,  prince  of 
Abyssinia. 

Rasselas  was  the  fourth  son  of  the 
mighty  emperor,  in  whose  dominions 
the  father  of  waters  begins  his 
course;  whose  bounty  pours  down 
the  streams  of  plenty,  and  scatters 
over  half  the  world  the  harvests  of 
Egypt. 

The  place  which  the  wisdom  or 
policy  of  antiquity  had  destined  for 
the  residence  of  the  Abyssinian 


princes,  was  a  spacious  valley  in  the 
kingdom  of  Amhara,  surrounded  on 
every  side  by  mountains,  of  which 
the  summits  overhung  the  middle 
part.  The  only  passage  by  which 
it  could  be  entered,  was  a  cavern 
that  passed  under  a  rock,  of  which 
it  has  long  been  disputed  whether  it 
was  the  work  of  nature  or  of  human 

industry. 

DR.  JOHNSON. 


The  first  number  of  each  reference  refers  to  the  page. 

Abbreviations,  how  indicated,  29,  II.;  list  of,  29,  30;  addi- 
tional marks,  30,  i ;  proper  names,  30,  2 ;  numerals,  30,  3 ; 
numbering  pages,  30,  4;  letter  doubled  to  indicate  the 
plural,  30,5;  how  to  abbreviate  words,  30,  6;  Mr.,  Mrs., 
etc.,  74,  i,  2. 

Addressed,  person  or  thing,  13,  VIII.;  strong  emotion,  14 
Rem.;  33,  III. 

Address  of  envelopes,  most  important  part  of  letter-writing, 
73;  position,  74;  punctuation,  74;  honorary  titles,  75;  large 
cities,  76;  small  towns  and  villages,  77;  addressed  envel- 
opes, 77;  letters  with  special  request,  78;  stamp,  78;  forms 
of  address,  78-82. 

Address,  inside,  definition  of,  87 ;  punctuation  of,  88 ;  large 
cities,  88;  small  towns  and  villages,  89;  intimate  friends 
and  relatives,  89;  position,  90. 

Adjectives,  two,  17,  2;  in  a  series,  18,  i. 

Adverbs,  10,  3. 

Advertisements,  capitalization  of,  62,  3. 

Almighty  God,  64,  2. 

And,  or,  nor,  connecting  words  in  a  series,  17,  XIV.;  words 
and  phrases,  19,3;  phrases  and  clauses,  18,  XV.;  19,  2; 
or  between  two  wrords  or  expressions,  the  latter  explain- 
ing the  former,  18,  2. 

Answer  and  question  in  the  same  paragraph,  36,  3. 

Apostrophe,  the,  47,  48 ;  form  of,  47,  Rem ;  denotes  what, 
47,  II  See  Possession. 

Appositives,  15,  XL;  definition  of,  16,  i ;  two  nouns  in  appo- 


sition,  16,  2,  a;  noun  and  pronoun,  16,  2,  b;  two  pronouns, 

16,  2,  c;  parts  of  a  person's  name,  16,  2,  d. 
Arabic  numbers,  22,  XVIII. 
As,   21,  3;  introducing  an  example,  24,  Rem.;  as  with  a 

dash,  36,  4. 

As  it  were,  9,  IV. ;  as  follows,  27,  III. 

Aunt,  when  to  commence  with  a  capital,  63,  2,  3;  90,  2 ;  96,  2. 
Author  from  whom  a  quotation  is  taken,  36,  2  •  manuscript 

of,  72,  102,  103 ;  correction  of  proof,  102. 

B 

Because,  7,  i. 

Being  or  having  been,  14,  Rem. 

Bible,  references  to.     See  References. 

Body  of  the  letter,  the  first  word,  94;  margin,  95;  para- 
graphs, 95. 

Books,  titles  of,  44,  II.;  chapter,  62,  2;  title-pages,  62,  VIII. 

Brackets,  41,  42  ;  additional  marks,  41, 1 ;  reporting  speeches, 
41,  2;  parenthetical  marks,  42,  3. 

Broken  letters  in  proof,  109,  X. 

Broken  sentences,  34,  I. 

Brother,  when  to  commence  with  a  capital,  63,  2,  3 ;  90,  2 ; 
96,  '2. 

But,  6,  i. 

c 

Capitals,  54-70;  usage  formerly,  55;  tendency  at  the  pres- 
ent day,  56;  value  of  capitals,  56;  how  indicated  in  writ- 
ing, 53,  V.;  in  proof,  107,  VI.;  title-pages,  62,  VIII. 

Caret,  52,  II.;  in  proof,  106,  III 

Chapter,  first  word  of,  62,  2. 

Church,  when  written  with  a  capital,  60,  3 

Clauses,  definition  of,  5 ;  independent,  6, 1. ;  dependent,  6,  II.; 
relative,  7,  8,  9;  participial,  14,  IX.;  series  of,  24,  III.;  con- 
cluding, 34,  II.;  short,  24,  Rem.  See  Expressions, 


Colon,  the,  25-28;  indicates  what,  3,  4;  not  used  as  much  as 
formerly,  28. 

Comma,  the,  5-22;  indicates  a  close  relationship,  3,  4;  omit- 
ted, 3;  16,  2;  21,  i,  2,  3;  preferred  sometimes  to  semico- 
lons, 25. 

Commas,  two,  placed  under  a  word,  52,  I. 

Complete  sentences,  29,  I.;  title  of  essay,  oration,  etc-,  29, 
Rem. 

Compound  words,  49,  I.;  definition  of,  49,  i. 

Concluding  clause,  34,  II. ;  emphatic  conclusion,  35,  i ; 
namely,  that  is,  etc.,  omitted,  35,  2 ;  word  or  expression 
repeated,  35,  3. 

Conclusion  of  a  letter,  definition,  95 ;  punctuation,  96;  posi- 
tion, 97,  signature,  97. 

Conclusion,  emphatic,  35,  I. 

Contrasted  expressions  or  comparisons,  20,  XVII.;  compar- 
ison, short,  21,  i.;  so-that,  rather-than,  etc.,  21,  2;  as,  than, 
21,  3;  first  expression  negative,  the  other  affirmative,  21,4. 

Consequently,  9,  IV. 

Copy,  definition  of,  104. 

Correction  in  proof  to  be  disregarded,  109,  IX. 

Cousin,  when  to  commence  with  a  capital,  63,  2,  3;  90,  2; 
96,  2. 

Crooked  words  in  proof,  no,  XII. 

D 

Dagger,  double  dagger,  uses  of,  53,  VI. 

Dash,  34-38;  additional  punctuation  marks,  38,  i,  2. 

Days  of  the  month,  60,  VI.;  spring,  summer,  etc.,  61,  Rem. 

Dates,  22,  Rem. 

Deity,  the,  63,  X. ;  difference  among  writers,  63,  i ;  First 
Cause,  etc.,  64,  2;  King  of  kings,  etc.,  64,  3;  eternal, 
divine,  etc.,  64,4;  pronouns,  64,  5;  65,  6;  god,  goddess, 
deity,  65,  7. 

Democrat,  60,  V. 


iiS 

Dependent  clauses,  6,  II.;  definition  of,  7,  i;  omission  of 
comma,  7,  2. 

Devil,  59,  3. 

Diaeresis,  50,  4. 

Diphthongs,  how  indicated  in  proof,  no,  XIV. 

Direct  question,  31,  I. 

Direct  quotation.    See  Quotation. 

Divine,  64,  4. 

Division  of  words,  50,  III.;  where  to  divide  a  word,  51,  i. 

Divisions  of  sentences,  23,  I.;  25,  Gen.  Rem. 

Divisions  of  a  statement,  69,  XVII.;  how  readily  recog- 
nized, 70,  i ;  usage  of  some  writers,  70,  2 ;  sentences 
broken  off  to  attract  attention,  70,  3. 


East,  when  to  commence  with  a  capital,  59,  i. 

Ellipsis,  marks  of,  52,  III. 

Emotion,  strong,  32,  I.;  unusual  degree,  32,  Rem. 

Emphasis,  words  repeated  for,  17,  3;  use  of  the  dash  to  give 

prominence,  37,  Gen.  Rem.;  35,  i. 
Enumeration  of  particulars,  27,  III.;  particulars  preceded  by 

a  colon,  27,  i;  not  introduced  \$y  thus,  j olio-wing ,  etc.,  27, 

2;  particulars  preceded  by  a  semicolon,  27,  3;  comma  and 

dash  sometimes  used,  28,  4. 
Envelopes,   addressed,  77;   with  special  request,  78;    with 

stamp,  78. 
Esq.,  74,  3. 

Eternal,  referring  to  the  Deity,  64,  4. 
Example,  punctuation  of  words  preceding,  24,  Rem.;  firsl 

word  of,  66,  4. 
Exclamation   point,   32,   33;   inclosed   within   parenthetical 

marks,  40,  3. 
Expressions,  inverted,  12,  VI.;  two  brief,  19,  2;  contrasted, 


1 19 

20,  XVII.;  complete  in  themselves,  23,  II.;  28,  Gen. 
Rem.;  series  of,  24,  III.;  negative  and  affirmative,  21,  4; 
at  the  end  of  sentences,  22,  XIX.;  equivalent  to  senten- 
ces, 57,  2. 

F 

Father,  when  to  commence  with  a  capital,  63,  2,  3. 

Federalist,  60,  V. 

Figures  omitted,  36,  IV.;  Arabic,  22,  XVIII. 

Finally,  9,  IV. 

First  Cause,  First  Principle,  64,  2 ;  Father  of  mercies,  Father 

of  spirits,  64,  3. 
First  word  in  a  sentence,  57,  I. ;  in  expressions  numbered, 

69,  XVII.;  after  a  period,  57,  3. 
Following,  27,  III.,  2. 
Foreign  words,  43,  2. 
Forms  of  address,  78-82. 
Friend,  when  to  commence  with  a  capital,  63,  3 ;  90,  2 ;  96,  2. 

G 

General  remarks,  28,  37,  no. 

God,  63,  64 ;  goddess,  65,  7 ;  God  of  hosts,  64,  3. 

Gospel,  61,  3. 

Greeting.    See  Introductory  words. 

H 

Handbills,  use  of  capitals  in,  62,  3. 

Heading  of  letters,  83;  definition,  83;  punctuation,  84;  large 
cities,  85;  a  small  town  or  village,  86;  hotels,  86;  semina- 
ries or  colleges,  86 ;  position,  86. 

Heaven  and  hell,  59,  3. 

Heavenly,  applied  to  the  Deity,  64,  4. 

Hers,  48,  3. 

Hesitation,  how  indicated,  34, 1. 

His,  Him,  referring  to  the  Deity,  64,  5. 


120 

His  Excellency,  76,  5;  62,  IX.;  address  of  envelope,  80. 
Hon.,  75,  4;  62,  IX. 
However,  9,  IV. 

Hyphen,  the,  49-5 1 ;  connecting  several  words,  49,  2 ;  omit- 
ted, 49,  3 ;  doubt  as  to  the  use,  49,  5. 

I 

I,  68,  XV. 

If,  7,  i. 

Indeed,  9,  IV. 

Independent  clauses,  6,  I.;  definition  of,  6,  i;  comma  omit- 
ted, 6,  2 ;  separation  by  a  semicolon,  6,  3. 

Infinite  One,  64,  2. 

In  short,  in  fact,  in  reality,  9,  IV. 

Interjections,  32,  II.;  exclamation  point  at  the  end  of  a  sen- 
tence, 33,  i,  2. 

Interrogation  point,  31,  I.;  inclosed  in  parenthetical  marks, 

40,   2. 

Introductory  words  of  letters,  definition,  90;  punctuation,  91 ; 
position,  91 ;  forms  of  salutation,  92 ;  salutations  to  young 
ladies,  93 ;  to  married  ladies,  94. 

Introductory  remarks,  5,  73. 

Inverted  expressions,  12,  VI.;  explanation,  12,  i;  omission 
of  comma,  12,  2. 

Inverted  letter  in  proof,  107,  IV. 

Italics,  how  indicated,  53,  V.;  107,  VI.;  words  from  a  for- 
eign language,  43,  2 ;  written  with  or  without  a  capital, 
60,  Rem. 

K 

King  of  kings,  64,  3. 

L 

Leaders,  53,  IV. 


Letters  or  figures  omitted,  36,  IV.;  3-9  equivalent  to,  37, 

Rem 

Letters  omitted,  47,  I.;  the  apostrophe,  47,  Rem. 
Letters,  care  in  writing,  some  facts,  73. 
Letter -forms,  71-100. 
List  of  abbreviations,  29,  30;  30,  7. 
LL  D.,  30,  5;  75,  3. 
Logical  subject,  19,  XVI. ;  definition  of,    20,   I ;  custom  of 

some  writers,  20,  2. 
Long  sentences,  25,  I. 
Lord  ot  lords,  64,  3. 

M 

Madame,  93,  94. 

Marks  of  parenthesis,  39,  40;  additional  marks,  39,  I ;  dashes, 

37,  V. ;  comma,  40,  4. 
Mark  of  attention  in  proof,  no,  XV. 
Members  of  sentences,  25,  Gen.  Rem. 
Miscellaneous  marks,  52,  53. 
Miss.-  74,  i;  93. 
Months  and  days,  names  of,  60,  VI. ;  autumn,  spring,  etc., 

61,  Rem 

More — than,  21,  2. 
Moreover,  9,  IV. 

N 

Name,  person's,  16,  2,  d.;  abbreviated,  30,  2 ;  74,  2;  96,  Rem. 
•  period  used  after  name,  29,  Rem.     See  Signature. 
Namely,  9,  IV.;  35,  2. 

Nations,  names  of,  59,  IV.;  Italics  and  Italicized,  60,  Rem. 
Negative  expressions,  21,  4. 
Nevertheless,  9,  IV. 
Nor,  6,  i. 
Not,  contrasted  expressions  21,  4. 


122 

North,  when  to  commence  with  a  capital,  59,  i . 
Nouns  in  apposition,  15,  16.     See  Words. 
Numeral  figures,  22,  XVIII. ;  dates,  22,  Rem. 

O 

O,  68,  XV.;  not  followed  by  an  exclamation  point,  32,  II. 
Of  which,  9,  3;  of  course,  9,  IV. 
Omitted,  letters  or  figures,  36,  IV.;  47,  I. 
Omissions,  how  indicated,  52,  II.;  in  proof,  106,  III. 
Or,  6,  i ;  1 8,  2. 
Ours,  48,  3. 


Pages,  numbering  of,  30,  4. 

Paragraphs,  quoted,  46,  IV. ;  sign  of,  53,  VI. ;  in  proof,  ioS, 

VIII. 

Parallel  lines,  53,  VI. 
Parenthesis,  39,   I.;  additional  marks,  39,  i,  a,  b,  c;  comma 

and  dash  often  preferred,  37,  V.;  40,  4;  doubtful  assertion, 

40,  2 ;  irony  or  contempt,  40,  3. 
Parenthetical  words  and  phrases,  9,  IV. ;  definition  of,  10,  i ; 

when  commas  are  omitted,  10,  2 ;  parenthetical  words  and 

adverbs,  10,  3. 

Parenthetical  expressions,  n,  V.;  distinction  between  paren- 
thetical expressions  and  parenthetical  words,  u,  i,  a,  b; 

when  commas  are  omitted,  n,  2. 
Parties,  names  of,  60,  V.     See  Sects. 
Participal  clauses,  14,  IX.;  sign  of,  14,  Rem 
Perhaps,  9,  IV. 

Period,  indicates  what,  3;  uses  of,  29,  30, 
Persons  and  places,  names  of,  58,   III.;  North,   South,  etc., 

59,  i ;  words  derived  from  names  of  persons,  59,  2 ;  Satan, 

devil,  59,3. 


123 

Person  or  thing  addressed,   13,  VIII.;  strong  emotion,  14, 

Rem. 

Personification,  67,  XIV. 
Phrases  and  clauses,  18,  XV.;  definition  of  a  phrase,  19,  i; 

of  a  clause,  5 ;  when  commas  are  omitted,  19,  2 ;  words  and 

phrases  in  a  series,  19,  3 ;  parenthetical  phrases,  9,  10. 
Poetry,  first  word  of  each  line,  58,  II. 
Political  parties,  60,  V. 
Possession,   47,  II.;    singular   of  nouns,   47,  i;    plural   of 

nouns,  48,  2 ;  ours,  yours,  etc.,  48,  3. 
Prefixes,  50,  II. ;  definition  of,  50,    i ;  vowel  and  consonant 

50,  2 ;  vice-president,  etc.,  50,  3 ;  when  to  use  the  diaeresis, 

50,4- 

Prince  of  life,  Prince  of  kings,  64,  3. 

Projecting  leads  in  proof,  no,  XIII. 

Pronouns  referring  to  the  Deity,  64,  5 ;  65,  6. 

Proof-reading,  101-114;  its  importance,  102;  preparation  of 
manuscript,  102,  103;  copy,  proof-sheet,  revise,  104;  wrong 
letters  and  punctuation  marks,  105,  I. ;  wrong  words,  106, 
II.;  omissions,  106,  III.;  inverted  letter,  107,  IV.;  strike 
out,  107,  V. ;  capitals  and  italics,  107,  VI. ;  spacing,  108, 
VII.;  paragraphs,  108,  VIII. ;  correction  to  be  disregarded, 
109,  IX.;  broken  letters,  109,  X.;  transpose,  109,  XL; 
crooked  words,  no,  XII. ;  projecting  leads,  no,  XIII.; 
diphthongs,  no,  XIV.;  mark  of  attention,  no,  XV.;  Gen. 
Rem.,  1 10. 

Proof-sheet,  definition  of,  104;  specimen  proof,  in,  112; 
corrected  proof,  113,  114. 

Punctuation,  its  importance,  iii.,  iv. ;  how  to  teach  it,  iv. ; 
V.;  principal  punctuation  marks,  3;  other  marks,  4; 
punctuation  marks,  why  used,  3,  4. 

Q 

Question,  direct,  31,  I.;  question  and  answer  in  the  same 
paragraph,  36,  3. 


1 24 

Quotation,  short,  I2,VIL;  long,  13,  5;  26,  II.;  27,  i;  expres- 
sions resembling  a  quotation,  13,  I ;  introduced  by  that,  13, 
2;  65,  i;  single  words  quoted,  13,  3;  65,  2;  66,  3;  quota- 
tion divided,  13,  4;  quotation  in  the  middle  of  a  sentence, 
27,  2 ;  quotation  within  a  quotation,  45,  i ;  46,  2 ;  parts  of 
a  quotation  omitted,  46,  IV.,  2 ;  first  word  of  a  quotation, 
65,  XI. ;  examples  as  illustrations,  24,  Rem. ;  66,  4. 

Quotation  marks,  43-46;  direct  quotation,  43,  I.;  exact  words 
not  given,  43,  i ;  words  from  a  foreign  language,  43,  2 ;  quo- 
tation followed  by  a  comma,  semicolon,  colon,  period,  44, 
4;  by  an  exclamation  or  interrogation  point,  44,  5,  6;  titles 
of  books,  44,  II.;  quotation  within  a  quotation,  45,  III.; 
paragraphs,  46,  IV. 

Quoted  passage,  41,  I. 

R 

Republican,  Radical,  60,  V. 

Rather — than,  21,  2. 

Reference  marks,  53,  VI. 

References,  68,  XVI.;   volume   and   chapter,  69,   i;  to  the 

Bible,  69,  3;  volume  and  page  sufficient,  69,  2. 
Relative   clauses,    7,    III.;  commas  when    used,  7,  III.,  i; 

when  omitted,  7,  III.,   2 ;  introduced   by  ivho,  etc.,  8,    i ; 

exceptions,  8,  2,  3. 
Reporter,  remarks  by,  41,'  2. 

Resolutions,  66,  XII.;  Resolved  and  That,  66,  Rem. 
Revise,  definition  of,  104. 


Salutations.     See  Introductory  words. 

Scriptures,  sacred  writings,  61,  3. 

Sects,  names  of,  60,  V.;  Republican,  etc.,  60,   i,  2;  Church, 

60,  3. 
Section  mark,  53,  VI. 


I25 

Semicolon,  23-25;  indicates  distant  relationship,  3,  4;  often 
preferred  to  a  colon,  28;  semicolon  and  comma,  25. 

Sentence,  definition  of,  5 ;  57,  i ;  long  sentences,  23,  I. ;  mem- 
bers of,  23,  II.;  25,  Gen.  Rem.;  28,  Gen.  Rem.;  complete 
sentences,  29,  I.;  broken  sentences,  34,  I.;  first  word  of, 
57,  I. ;  expressions  equivalent  to  a  sentence,  57,  2 ;  word 
following  a  period,  57,  3;  word  following  an  interrogation 
or  an  exclamation,  58,  4. 

Series  of  words,  17,  XIV.;  commas,  when  not  used,  17, 
XIV.,  i;  when  used,  18,  XIV.,  2,  3;  last  word  preceding 
a  single  word,  18,  i;  two  words  connected  by  or,  18,  2; 
series  of  phrases  and  clauses,  18,  XV.;  of  expressions,  24, 
III. 

Short  quotations.    See  Quotations. 

Signatures,  29,  Rem. ;  97,  98. 

Since,  7,  i. 

Sister,  when  to  commence  with  a  capital,  63,  2 ;  90,  2 ;  96,  2. 

Sir,  63,  3. 

Son  of  man,  64,  3. 

So — that,  so — as,  21,  2. 

South,  59,  i. 

Spacing  in  proof,  108,  VII. 

Specimen  proof,  in,  112. 

Special  words,  capitilization  of,  66,  67. 

Spring,  summer,  61,  Rem. 

Stamp,  78. 

Star,  reference  mark,  53,  VI. 

Strike  out  in  proof,  107,  V. 

Strong  emotion,  32,  I.;  unusual  emotion,  32,  Rem. 

Subject,  logical,  19,  XVI. ;  definition  of,  20,  i ;  subject  of 
statement  or  quotation,  35,  III.;  definition  of,  36,  i ; 
author,  36,  2;  question  and  answer,  36,  3;  <?5,  thus^  etc.,  36, 

4- 

Summary  of  letter-forms,  98-100. 
Supreme  Being,  64,  2;  Son  of  man,  64,  3. 


126 

T 

Titles,  annexed,  16,  3;  of  essays,  orations,  etc.,  29,  Rem.;  61, 
2;  of  books,  44,  II.;  61,  VII.;  of  magazines,  45,  i,  2;  of 
persons,  62,  IX.;  sacred  writings,  61,  3. 

Title-pages,  62,  VIII. ;  first  word  of  a  chapter,  62,  2;  hand- 
bills and  advertisements,  62,  3. 

Than,  21,  3. 

That,  8,  i ;  13,  2 ;  quotation  introduced  by  that,  65,  i ;  in  res- 
olutions, 66,  Rem. 

That  is,  35,  2. 

Theirs,  48,  3. 

Therefore,  9,  IV. 

Thus,  this,  these,  27,  III.;  27,  2;  36,  4. 

To-day,  to-night,  to-morrow,  49,  4. 

Too,  10,  3. 

Transpose  in  proof,  109,  XI. 

U 

Until,  7,  i. 

Unconnected  words,  16,  XIII.,  comma,  when  used,  17,  i,  3; 

when  not  used,  17,  2. 
Uncle,  when   to  commence  with  a  capital,  63,  2,  3;  90,  2; 

96,  2. 

V 

Verb  omitted,  15,  X. ;  main  clauses  separated  by  a  semicolon, 

15,  i ;  comma  omitted,  15,  2. 
Vice-president,  50,  3. 


w 


What,  8,  i. 
When,  7,  i. 


127 

Words,  parenthetical,  9,  IV.;  in  apposition,  15,  XL:  uncon- 
nected, 16,  XIIL ,  series  of,  17,  XIV, ;  repeated  for  empha- 
sis, 17,  3;  35,  3;  two  connected  by  or,  18,  2;  words  and 
phrases  in  a  series,  19,  3;  from  a  foreign  language,  43,  2; 
compound,  49,  I.;  division  of,  50,  III.;  repeated,  52,  I.; 
special,  66,  XIII. 

Words  personified,  67,  XIV.;  caution,  68,  Rem. 

Wrong  letters  and  punctuation  marks  in  proof,  105,  I-i 
wrong  words,  106,  II. 


Yours,  48,  3. 


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